Florida Highway Patrol K9 team named ‘Top Dog’ at North Florida competition

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper and his K9 partner took home the top prize Saturday at the fifth annual North Florida Law Enforcement K9 Competition.

Trooper Nate Cabe and K9 Chosin were crowned Overall Top Dog and also won the Hardest Hitting/Fastest award, giving the team two awards.

Officer Dan Timmons and K9 Cairo of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office won the Obedience award. Officer Dale Cullen and K9 Chip, also of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, were voted Fan Favorite by the crowd.

A large crowd cheered on 13 K9 teams from across Florida and one from South Carolina at the Bishop Kenny High School Athletic Complex.

The teams competed in a timed obstacle course that tested speed, strength and tactical skills through exercises including wall jumps, tunnel crawls, bailouts and apprehension.

The competing K9 teams included:

• Officer Scott Baxley and K9 Kino, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Trooper Jose Brierly and K9 Radar, Florida Highway Patrol
• Trooper Nate Cabe and K9 Chosin, Florida Highway Patrol
• Officer Mohamed Channani and K9 Koax, Myrtle Beach Police Department
• Officer Dale Cullen and K9 Chip, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Richard Demarco and K9 Koen, Marion County Sheriff’s Office
• Officer Nick Heard and K9 Casper, Myrtle Beach Police Department
• Officer Joe Heuser and K9 Nick, Leesburg Police Department
• Officer Eric Megela and K9 Bane, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Charles Paddock and K9 Brit, Marion County Sheriff’s Office
• Deputy Jacob Sahagian and K9 Vader, Lee County Sheriff’s Office
• Officer Scott Stevenson and K9 Rek, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office
• Officer Dan Timmons and K9 Cairo, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office

The event was hosted by K9s United, a Jacksonville-based nonprofit that supports law enforcement K9s.

Attendees met the sheriff’s office Mounted Unit and SWAT Team, watched the competition and enjoyed family activities such as a rock-climbing wall and an inflatable obstacle course.

Proceeds supported K9s United, which provides equipment and training free of charge to K9 handlers and their agencies.

More information is available at K9sUnited.org.

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