Clarksville, TN – On Friday, November 15th, 2013, Officer Keith Jones and his K-9 partner, Koda, graduated from the Southern Police Canine Inc. training in Nashville, NC.
Officer Jones, the handler, was trained to be well-versed in canine safety and health care, and legal updates and considerations. Handler training was subjected to numerous survival techniques.
![Clarksville Police K-9 Officer Keith Jones and Koda Clarksville Police K-9 Officer Keith Jones and Koda](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Officer-Jones-Koda1-480x360.jpg)
Koda, the canine, was trained in the following:
- Obedience and control, including hand commands,
- Agility- to enable him to surmount various obstacles,
- Evidence search,
- Area search- for the presence of humans,
- To search indoors or covered structures for the presence of humans,
- To enter and exit vehicles in various ways,
- To track,
- To protect his handler and himself from physical threat(s),
- To apprehend on command,
- To release on command,
- To recall from pursuit on command,
- And to detect and locate various illegal narcotics.
![Sgt. Odell (Sgt. over the K-9 team), K-9 Officer Jones, Koda, and Capt. Gipson (Capt. over the Special Operations Unit) Sgt. Odell (Sgt. over the K-9 team), K-9 Officer Jones, Koda, and Capt. Gipson (Capt. over the Special Operations Unit)](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Officer-Jones-Koda2-480x319.jpg)
Each handler was required to obtain an 80% proficiency in a written examination to receive certification from Southern Police Canine Inc.
The Clarksville Police Department wants to congratulate K-9 Officer Keith Jones and his partner, Koda, for this prestigious accomplishment! He and Koda will be a dominant addition to our already elite K-9 team.