Video and photos by Sera King / New Smyrna Beach police canine officer Bruce Holcomb and his dutch shepherd, 'Buddy,' protect and serve.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- When it comes to police teamwork, there is no better partnership than duo than Bruce Holcomb and his K9 partner Buddy.
The two were recognized as the 1st place team -- 1st Place Handler and 1st Place K9 -- by the KVD (Koninklijke Vereniging Diensthonden) Royal Association of Service Dogs, Wellen, Belgium.
Holcomb and Buddy were among 35 teams who attended the Florida recertification workshop in Titusville, with Holcomb and Buddy receiving the highest honors.
When it comes to police teamwork, there is no better partnership than duo than New Smyrna Beach cop Bruce Holcomb and his K9 partner Buddy.
The two were recognized as the 1st place team -- 1st Place Handler and 1st Place K9 -- by the KVD (Koninklijke Vereniging Diensthonden) Royal Association of Service Dogs, Wellen, Belgium.
Holcomb and Buddy were among 35 teams who attended the Florida recertification workshop in Titusville, with Holcomb and Buddy receiving the highest honors.
The North American Police Work Dog Association strives to enhance the use of police working dogs by law enforcement agencies through continuing education in the form of local, state and national workshops, held periodically throughout the year.
Each year during the annual North American Police Work Dog certification seminar, KVD Royal Association of Service Dogs, Wellen, Belgium, conducts a competition, following the actual team recertificaton process among the attending canine teams.
The competition grades and gauges how both the dog and handler work together, as well as control, agility, courage, aggression control, tactics, and obedience. This accomplishment exemplifies the dedication and hard work that is required daily to ensure that both the canine and handler perform at their best.