New K-9 joins PSPD, marking first female K-9 team in the department’s history
Kendall Flynn
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Zita and her K-9 handler, Officer Stephanie Sandoval, will be deployed to Palm Springs International Airport, where they will join another PSPD pup, K9 Apollo, sniffing firearms and explosives.
“She’s learned to pick up 14 variations of different explosive odor,” Sandoval said. “So when I came in three weeks later, they taught me how to read her cues.”
K-9 Zita is a year and a half old Holland Shepard, who is ready to work. Zita and Officer Sandoval will also be the first female K-9 team in the department’s history. The two graduated from the K-9 academy in late June, according to the department.
“It’s pretty awesome for us to integrate a female canine into our program… our female group,” Sandoval said. “Like finally, it’s awesome.”
Thursday through Saturday the pair works at the Palm Springs International Airport with K9 Apollo. Sandoval said Zita and Apolla are the only bomb dogs at PSPD and California in general doesn’t have a lot of dogs trained in this field.
She said their training is necessary especially after recent events in Palm Springs.
“We work hand-in-hand with TSA so anything coming in through TSA that would be of concern TSA will call us for an assist. Oddly enough we do get a lot of firearms coming through,” she said. “And we did have a bombing earlier this year, so it’s extremely important now that we can cover the entire week.”
Sandoval said it’s a specialized job Zita will only get better at with time.
“She’s very confident. So when I put her in new scenarios, she has no problem with it normally,” she said. “She truly, truly does have a high drive to work. She loves her job. I’m excited to get to know her, and to really become a team.”
Stay with News Channel 3 to meet Zita and Officer Sandoval.