A new canine has joined the Hawaii Police Department.
K9 Kim will serve in the department’s Area II Vice Section, according to an HPD press release.
The newest member of the department is a 2-year-old German shorthaired pointer who specializes in sniffing out narcotics.
In early March, Officer Stephen Kishimoto Jr., a K9 handler in the department’s Area II Vice Section, traveled to Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana, to select a new canine for the department.
He chose K9 Kim after looking at three different canines.
Kim was born in Hungary and brought to the US by the training kennel, which specializes in training police dogs.
“Kim’s overall work drive stood out over the other canines,” Kishimoto said in the press release.
Kishimoto and his new K9 partner then completed an extensive four-week training course at Vohne Liche’s 350-acre facility, during which the young canine learned search patterns and how to identify and signal for specific drug odors during searches.
“Kim’s drive to work and pleasant demeanor makes her a great canine to not only to locate illegal narcotics, but she’ll be a great canine for school and public demonstrations,” Kishimoto said. “She’ll represent HPD well.”
K9 Kim and her training were paid for by Hawaii branch of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, a part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
K9 Kim replaces K9 Rory, a 10-year-old springer spaniel, who retired in August 2022.