FARMINGTON – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department was one step closer to a second canine unit after a dog passed preliminary tests at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy last week.

Dep. David Rackliffe took his German shephard Rugar to the academy in Vassalboro for pre-selection testing. The dog was tested in three areas critical for police work. According to Rackliffe, his dog was assessed for drive, tracking abilities and temperament.

The dog’s drive, or willingness to work, was tested by taking his favorite toy, hiding it in tall grass and asking the dog to find it. Rugar performed well, he said.

Rackliffe was also pleased with his pooch’s performance in a tracking exercise. Using Rackliffe’s scent from a toy, the dog was asked to find him. The deputy hid in nearby woods about 20 to 30 feet away and out of the dog’s view. Rugar found him within minutes.

The third test was ostensibly the dog’s most challenging. The purpose of the assessment was to observe the dog around an unknown person who would act oddly or even aggressively. The expectation is that the dog would stand his ground and defend itself.

Rugar didn’t react as strongly as Rackliffe had hoped in the scenario but the deputy attributed this to the “unknown” person who had earlier been playing with the dog. Rugar did pass the preliminaries, however, making him an eligible candidate for police work.

A local donor provided the funding for Rackliffe and his dog to attend two sessions at the academy – a 12-week patrol training beginning in March and an 8-week narcotics training next October.

A local Boy Scout is also working with an area retailer to obtain funding for two canine inserts for police cruisers that make the cars safer for the dogs, deputies and passengers. The Sheriff’s Department currently has one canine unit, Cpl. Nate Bean and his dog, Ben, the only canine unit in the area. Bean’s cruiser was fitted with an insert made by the officer but the pre-made insert would be safer.

The cost of a second canine is expected to be about $500 annually, according to the Sheriff Department’s 2005 budget request. The county Budget Committee will meet this week to discuss the budget and make recommendations.