Department Participates in USPCA Trials

Cramerton Police Officer Patrick Mullinax and his canine partner Edge competed in their 2^nd United States Police Canine Association trials on October 19-21.  The region II trials were hosted by the Raleigh Police Department and were held at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh.  The department’s team was awarded Police Dog I certification by the USPCA for its second year in a row. 

     The USPCA was formed in 1971 to promote the betterment and use of police canine teams and is the largest organization of its kind.  The Police Dog I category scores the canine teams on obedience, agility, search, criminal apprehension and canine recall.  Aside from the PD-I  certification Officer Mullinax and Edge received awards for 2^nd place in article search and 3^rd place in obedience from a field of 50 competing teams from around the two-state region. 

     “I personally had the opportunity to watch Officer Mullinax and Edge compete in a great deal of the trials this year. Each time I watch the team work I am more impressed with the abilities and obedience of Edge and the dedicated and professional manner in which Officer Mullinax handles him” said Chief Greg Ratchford.  “It says quite a bit about Officer Mullinax’ dedication to training with Edge that a department of our size can go, compete and come away in the top percentage of the overall competitors. Our team was up against highly experienced canine teams from other municipal, state and federal agencies at the trials. The fact that we have been successful at the trials for the past two years is phenomenal” Ratchford said. The department began a canine team in March 2005 and has been utilized 75 times.