K-9 Boch and Officer John Swisher

                                                                         K9 Duties

The purpose of a Highland police canine unit is to reduce the jeopardy to the Police officer and to better enforce the laws of the community. The canine is a psychological deterrent to the lawbreaker, but at the same time the canine must develop a positive image in the public eye.

Highland K-9 units, before all else, are law enforcement agents. They are still are responsible for responding to calls for assistance, investigating criminal activity, writing and filing reports and related paperwork, apprehending and questioning suspects, and participating in community services and events such as crime watch meetings and school demonstrations. In addition to these duties, K-9 officers are responsible for training and caring for their dogs, who serve as their partner.

The Highland Police department has paired Officer John Swisher with a 15 month old German Sheppard from the Czech Republic named Boch.  Boch  has been trained to smell and locate illegal substances, do building searches for suspects and track either suspects or non-suspects like lost children or elderly.