The Jefferson City Police Department announced Thursday the arrival of K-9 officer Chopper to their department.
According to police officials, Chopper and his K-9 handler, officer Jeremy Bowman, a five-year veteran of the department, have started their assignment with the Community Action Team and will work alongside officer Paul Gash and K-9 Buzz. Both officers will work a variety of shifts and with the Community Action Team have the latitude to address various community problems as well as be available for demonstrations for organizations and schools.
K-9 Chopper is a German Shepherd, originally from Slovakia, who came to JCPD through a K-9 training facility in Cape Girardeau. Chopper and Bowman recently completed a nine-week certification course, which enables Chopper to function as a "dual-purpose" K-9. This means he can detect narcotics, function in a tracking capacity and assist in apprehension efforts.