On March 29, the Rotary Club of Boothbay Harbor met Lincoln County’s only four-legged employee: Duke, a 6-year-old German shepherd patrol and drug search dog. Duke and his crime-fighting partner, Deputy Kevin Dennison, along with Sheriff Todd Brackett and Detective Scott Hayden explained how the department’s canine participates in local law enforcement activities.

Dennison, a 14-year sheriff department officer, has spent the past five with Duke as his partner. He explained how LCSO obtained Duke and how they serve and protect the community. Duke is mainly used to search for drugs and people. Later in the program, Dennison hid what he called “pseudo-drugs” inside the Rotary’s clubhouse to demonstrate Duke’s training.

Duke is trained to find crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy. Once Duke entered the clubhouse, he sniffed out the drugs in a few seconds.

“Once he finds it, Duke lays down to let me know where it is,” Dennison said. And why does Duke respond so eagerly to Dennison’s series of voice commands, hand signals and requests to find drugs? It seems all Duke wants is to play. And Dennison pulls out a short piece of rope and Duke begins pulling it with his mouth.

“He wants his tug,” Dennison said. “He loves playing tug even more than eating a hot dog. You can see how much he enjoys it.”

The department purchased Duke five years ago for $12,000. Duke was born in Slovakia and transported to Connecticut Canine Services in Bethany, Connecticut. Dennison traveled to Connecticut with local canine trainers from the Portland and Scarborough police departments to pick up his new partner. Local police departments prefer European-born dogs due to their breeding and training.

“They arrive already trained in several basic aspects. Also, if there is a problem with their neck or other parts of their body, they can be returned for a different dog,” Dennison said.

Once Duke arrived in Maine, he and Dennison trained together. The duo received Maine Criminal Justice Academy and other required law enforcement canine certifications.  The initial training between a handler and dog is 480 hours. A second training for narcotics searches lasts another 320 hours, according to Dennison. Duke and Dennison also participate in 16 hours per month of re-certification training.

Duke lives with Dennison and his family. This 24/7 relationship allows for man and dog to bond.  Law enforcement dogs are also trained to protect their partner. The bond is strongest between Dennison and Duke, but the canine is part of the family, according to the deputy.

“Duke obeys my wife when I’m not home, but there are times when I’m home and she gives a command. Duke will look at me like ‘Do I have to?’”

One Rotarian asked if law enforcement dogs barked uncontrollably all the time. He recounted a ride from Newport to Bangor in a patrol car and the dog barked all the way. “If you are unfortunate to sit in my vehicle Duke will bark the whole trip,” Dennison said. “He’s trained to protect me so whether I’m in the vehicle or outside, Duke barks whenever I’m ever talking.”

The local Rotary $500 donated to the department’s Heidi Fund, a separate account financed by private contributions for the department’s patrol dog program.