Taking a bite out of crime

K-9 Lex bonding with officer, Othello

OTHELLO — It's been several minutes since the footprints were first laid, but that doesn't stop one of the Othello Police Department's newest officers from using his training to track down his suspect.

Within seconds, he is on the scent, and tracks down a firearm and lost glove around a footstep track before the exercise is complete. This track was a test, but K-9 Officer Homer Montemayor knows a scenario like this could come up in the field for him and his partner.

"We try to get him used to different scenarios, different scenes," Montemayor said. "Sometimes you find something out about your dog you don't know, and that gives you the opportunity to work on it."

Montemayor's partner is Lex Vom Haus Valkenplatz, a 4-year-old Dutch Shepherd which became the department's newest K-9 dog last year. He is trained to track the scent of a suspect through all sorts of situations, and will cross the road if he senses the suspect he is pursuing has. Lex gets his reward, a chew toy, following successful completion of the track at Othello's Kiwanis Park, and then it's back to working patrol with Montemayor.

Despite being on patrol, Lex has a friendly demeanor between his handler and other people with whom he comes in contact, a mood his partner admits is reflected in the mood of Montemayor. If Montemayor raises his voice or yells at a suspect, the dog's attention also hikes up.

"He's very focused when we do traffic stops," Montemayor said. "He's very focused on what's going on."

Lex is also his partner in the car and is added protection, a tool that can be regularly used on the streets. He often will be the first one to venture into a building, helping to minimize the risk to his human counterparts. But, Montemayor said, it is ultimately the decision of his partner officer on when to apply the dog.

"If I'm working alone on a shift, he's my backup," Montemayor said. "It does require someone in good physical shape as well, because it requires a lot of running."

Certified in both narcotics and patrol training by the state, Lex was initially added to the department last August.

The Netherlands-born dog is quickly becoming a popular member of the department and an asset to officers throughout the Columbia Basin. He and his handler have gone to several schools to give demonstrations to students about the K-9 program, "He just loves it," Montemayor said, noting the sociable nature of his dog.

Lex is the only police dog in Grant or Adams county, and is available to assist in drug unit investigations or as support for robbery or other felony suspects or incidents. Montemayor issues commands to him in German, and is teaching the dog sign language as well.

Lex and Montemayor conduct their patrols in a 2004 Ford Expedition equipped with a remote controlled door to allow Montemayor to let Lex in an out of his in-vehicle kennel. Even though he is highly trained, Montemayor admits the dog is sometimes just like being with a kid.

"They try to get away with stuff like a kid, and you just try to be on top of them, and then handlers do become very protective of their dogs as well," he said.

The dog is owned by the city, but goes home at the end of the day with Montemayor. At home, Lex lives in a kennel alongside his predecessor, a German Shepherd named Harley who was the department's K-9 dog until a leg injury forced him into retirement last year. Harley and Lex are pets to Montemayor when at home, but Lex is put into work mode the minute he hops in the car.

"When he jumps in my car, it's a switch that he does, and he knows it's time to go to work," Montemayor said.

In addition to the running pursuits with the dog after a suspect, Montemayor and Lex are always training. They travel to Benton County twice a month to learn different tactics, and he trains in Othello as well.

The two will continue to train, and continue to work together for Lex's life as a police dog. He is expected to serve the city for eight years, or until he is ready for retirement.

"He will be doing police work probably for the rest of his life, up until the day he retires." Montemayor said of his partner. "He loves challenges, he likes to work out problems. He's very eager to work. He's a highly energetic dog."