Niagara County Sheriff's Office, NU to host specialized K-9 tactical training seminar

Niagara University, in conjunction with the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy and the Connecticut Police Working Dog Association, will host a four-day canine support team and tactical training seminar from May 31 through June 3.

The main meeting area will be at the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy located in the Marian House on the campus of Niagara University.

Approximately 50 attendees, including K-9 teams and support personnel as well as observers from law enforcement agencies, will participate in the 40-hour training seminar. A New York State Department of Criminal Justices Bureau for Municipal Police credited course, the seminar's subject matter has relevance for all areas of law enforcement, including patrol and specialty tactical teams. 

Sessions, scheduled to begin daily at 9 a.m., will focus on specialty topics such as high risk K-9 deployments, tactical building clearance and tactical movements, interior and exterior searches, car extractions, officer down drills, use of rolling cover and shield drills. Training is designed to minimize passive and classroom time in Law Enforcement Academy facilities and involves extensive use of the university campus. On-campus areas being used for K-9 training will be clearly identified.     

"The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy recently relocated to Niagara University, launching a partnership that offers new and exciting opportunities to provide expanded training for law enforcement professionals," said Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour. "This, in turn, means the people of Western New York can feel confident that resources are being used in efficient and cost-effective ways to maximize public safety. Highly regarded instructors from the Connecticut Working Dog Association, with over 86 years of experience in this specialized area of law enforcement, will be on hand to direct this intensive four-day seminar. It is unusual for so many recognized experts in such a specialized field to be assembled for this type of extended training. This is one of the many events we anticipate will be held on the Niagara University campus as we solidify our working relationship with the university in our cooperative efforts to make the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy the premier law enforcement training site in New York state."

Founded in 1973, the NCLEA was originally formed to serve the police agencies of Niagara County, but is now assisting law enforcement departments in Erie, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston counties as well. The academy, which provides extensive training opportunities for active police officers, sworn recruits and pre-employment civilians, began conducting classes at NU on Feb. 28, at which time Niagara became the only four-year, private college in New York to host a full-time police academy.

For more information on the NCLEA at Niagara University, visit www.niagara.edu/nclea.