Dayton’s newest police officer took his oath of office at the city’s Jan. 16 council meeting. Mayor Ben Baker administered the oath to Officer Cooper, who swore he’d never been in a duel – and he promised to be a very good boy.
Officer Cooper is a 4-month-old English Labrador who has already begun training as a therapy dog. He works with Officer Robert Spears, who said Cooper will also train for drug detection but will spend as much time as possible visiting local schools and getting to know children and families in the city.
“I think we all know that Officer Spears has worked very hard building this canine unit here in the city of Dayton, and we’re very impressed with his work,” said Mayor Ben Baker.
Meet Officer Cooper
Spears gave some background on Cooper, who had some small trouble containing his excitement, especially when he saw his brother had come to witness his oath.
“Cooper’s breeder is from Kentucky and specializes in English labs. And that’s exactly what Cooper is, an English Labrador. His brother from the same litter is back there. They’re amazing dogs. He’s super intelligent, but he’s just very young. So we’ve still got the puppy mentality,” Spears said.
Cooper has already begun some training in therapy, and advanced therapy training will begin next weekend, said Spears. Drug training is also underway.
“He’s going to be trained on cocaine, heroin and meth. We’ve been fortunate that a Newport canine officer is a master trainer, and he’s going to be helping us with that.”
He noted that Cooper was donated to the department and most of the funding for the program has come through donations with some help from the city.
Taking a new approach
Police Chief David Halfhill said the department had canine officers before, and when Spears approached him to restart a canine program, it piqued his interest. He said he wanted to go in a new direction with the program.
“I wanted to go a different direction away from the Malinois and the German Shepherds. They’re a little bit more intimidating dogs. If you have tried to approach a police officer’s car that has a canine, the whole car shakes and rattles. I want to get away from that image. I want people to come to us…We want to have kids come to us. Officer Spears is bringing the dog to the basketball games, and the kids are coming up, hugging on him and petting him. And that’s what I want to see,” Halfhill said.
“We have a dog that’s very kind, and is going to be a therapy dog that we bring into schools and just be out in the community…” Halfhill said, “People can bring themselves to him and Officer Spears.”
Taking the oath
Baker said Cooper is already winning hearts and minds in the community.
“The community has taken a great liking and loving to Cooper. He’s had a little marketing campaign. He’s got coloring books, kids are getting stickers, plushies that were given out as Christmas gifts, so it’s been an awesome experience so far.”
Cooper then gave his paw to the mayor, who gave the oath of office.
“Repeat after me,” Baker said. “I, Officer Cooper, do solemnly swear that I will support the Commonwealth and the United States of America and the Commonwealth and Constitution and Kentucky. I promise I will faithfully execute to the best of my ability the role of partner to Officer Spears as a canine officer in the state of Kentucky. I promise I have never fought in a duel with deadly weapons, and I have not been a second in a duel with a deadly weapon. I vow not to sleep too terribly much on the job. I will not fix any parking tickets for belly rubs. I promise to be man and woman’s best friend to everyone and lastly I promise to be the bestest of boys and greet all of Dayton with my tail wagging.
“Without further ado, or further paws, by the power invested by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the city of Dayton, welcome to the Dayton Police Department,” said the mayor.