Reno Police Department K9 Unit

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Reno Police Department K9 Unit The Reno Police Department K-9 Unit provides the citizens of Reno and surrounding areas with police K-9 services.

The Reno Police K-9 Unit is the oldest specialized unit with in the Reno Police Department. The K-9 Unit was founded in 1962 in response to several riots and consisted of 5 Dog/Handler Teams. Currently the K-9 Unit has 4 Dog/Handler Teams and one Sergeant assigned to it. Each of the four K-9 Teams are trained in Drug Detection, Handler Protection, Building Searches, Area Searches, Suspect Apprehension, Evidence Recovery/Article Searches, and Obedience. One of our K-9 Teams is also trained in tracking for both violent persons and non-criminal victims. The K-9 Units primary function is a support roll to all divisions of the Police Department. Most easily stated the Canines are used to quickly locate people and things for every division in the Department. The RPD K-9 Unit (Along with other K-9 Units in our community), are commonly used to assist other State and Local Agencies, as well as multiple Federal Agencies. The Reno Police Department does have one single purpose dog which is not directly assigned to the K-9 Unit. The K-9 is a single purpose Explosives Detection dog that is assigned to the Consolidated Bomb Squad. Although the K-9 Team is not directly assigned to the K-9 Unit they do participate in Unit training and are primarily funded by the K-9 budget.

26/10/2026

Another beautiful K9 has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

After years of dedicated service with the Reno Police Department, K9 Niko retired in January 2022, having earned his well-deserved time to relax and enjoy life beyond the badge.

Although his working days had ended, the incredible bond between Niko and his handler never did. That love and loyalty lasts a lifetime.
Our hearts go out to Niko’s handler and everyone who knew and loved him, including all of us on the K-9 unit team.

Your service may have ended years ago, but your legacy will live on forever.
Thank you for your service, sweet boy.

With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to a beloved EOD retired K9 hero-K9 Bob. Thank you for your loyal service, your courag...
15/10/2026

With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to a beloved EOD retired K9 hero-K9 Bob.
Thank you for your loyal service, your courage, and your dedication to keeping our community safe. You were more than a partner—you were family.
Reno Police Department K9 Unit extends its Condolences to Officer Morgan and his family .
Rest easy, sweet boy. Your service will always be honored, and you will never be forgotten.

Today we participated in the 5th ANNUAL CARSON CITY SHERIFF'S OFFICE K9 UNIT 2026CHALLENGE A big congratulations to Offi...
04/10/2026

Today we participated in the 5th ANNUAL CARSON CITY SHERIFF'S OFFICE K9 UNIT 2026
CHALLENGE
A big congratulations to Officer Schmidt and K9 Jack for taking 1st place in Agility! We’re so proud of this amazing team!
A big congratulations to all the other winners, too!
We really enjoyed coming together with other K9 teams, cheering each other on, and sharing a great day of friendly competition!

Thank you to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office for hosting such a great event and to all the teams who participated!

28/09/2026
26/09/2026
We at the Reno Police Department K9 Unit mourn the passing of Danny Parker of Vohne Liche Kennels.Danny’s dedication to ...
22/09/2026

We at the Reno Police Department K9 Unit mourn the passing of Danny Parker of Vohne Liche Kennels.
Danny’s dedication to the K9 community and his passion for working dogs, handlers, and law enforcement touched so many throughout the years. His knowledge, commitment, and contributions to the K9 world have left a lasting legacy that will not be forgotten.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to Danny’s family, friends, the entire Vohne Liche Kennels family, and all those in the K9 community who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.
Rest in peace, Danny.
Your impact on the K9 community will live on.

This hurts so so badly.

It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we share the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Danny Parker, who passed away yesterday.

The word is beginning to circulate throughout the K9 community, and it is difficult to find words that adequately describe what Danny meant to Vohne Liche Kennels and to so many of us personally.

For more than 25 years, Danny was an integral part of VLK. But simply calling him an employee or colleague doesn't begin to tell his story.
Danny was a friend. A mentor. A teacher. A guiding light. He was someone whose knowledge, experience, character, and friendship helped shape VLK and generations of K9 handlers and trainers around the world.

Over the course of his career, Danny touched the lives of thousands of people throughout the law enforcement, military, and working-dog communities. Some knew him as an instructor. Some as a mentor. Some as the person they could call when they needed advice.

And many of us were fortunate enough to simply call him our friend.

His influence extended far beyond the training field. The lessons Danny taught, the standards he helped establish, the handlers he mentored, and the friendships he built will continue to be felt throughout the K9 community for many years to come.

For those of us at VLK who had the privilege of working beside him for decades, this loss is immeasurable. Professionally, we have lost a tremendous source of knowledge and experience. Personally, we have lost someone who was a big part of our family.
There are people who work for an organization, and then there are people who become part of its history and its identity.

Danny Parker was VLK.

To Danny's family, friends, former students, handlers, trainers, and the countless people around the world whose lives he touched, we share in your grief and offer our deepest condolences.

Danny, thank you for the lessons, the stories, the laughter, the friendship, and the example you gave all of us.

Your legacy will live on every time a handler steps onto a training field, every time an instructor passes along something you taught them, and every time one of us tells a Danny Parker story.

You will be deeply missed, my friend.
Rest easy, Danny. Your watch is over, but your influence will never be forgotten.

01/09/2026

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