CHINO VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT CANINE PROGRAM
The Chino Valley Police Department established its Canine program in April 2006. The program has three critical purposes. The first is to be a tool to educate the public about illegal drugs and the harm they cause our community. The second is to help prevent illegal drugs from coming into and through our community. The third and often most notable purpose is the apprehension of those that use, transport and sell illegal drugs in our community.
Our canine officers and their handlers undergo extensive, advanced and specialized training in the detection of illegal drugs. Since the beginning of our program all canines have exceeded the national standards as set forth by the National Police Canine Association and the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association. In addition to becoming nationally certified, our canines and handlers undergo weekly training.
The Department’s first canine, Gage, a German Shepherd, worked diligently with his handler, Officer Randy Chapman, from April of 2006 until Gage was retired in December of 2013. Sgt. Chapman was promoted to the rank of Sergeant just before the retirement of Gage. Gage lived out his retirement at the home of Sgt. Chapman and passed away on July 7, 2017 in the arms of his best friend, Sgt. Chapman.
McNally started his career in 2000. He handled his first K9 with the Prescott Valley Police Department in 2007 until his retirement and worked his second partner until his retirement in 2103. In 2016, Ofc. McNally retired from the Prescott Valley Police Department and joined the Chino Valley Police Department where he worked K9 “Gus” until his retirement in May of 2019. Ofc. McNally was then assigned his second K9 “Lisko” in May of 2019. McNally was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in August of 2021, at which time, Lisko retired and is currently enjoying his retirement at Sergeant McNally's home. Sgt. McNally is assigned to patrol and is also the K9 Sergeant, in charge of ensuring the success of the Chino Valley Police Department's K9 program and K9 handler Officer Steve Sellers.
Officer Sellers joined the Chino Valley Police Department in 2016 as a lateral from Colorado. Since that time, Sellers has served as a Field Training Officer, General Instructor, and Firearms Instructor. Officer Sellers was assigned as a K9 handler in August of 2020, where he was paired with his partner “Sirius”. K9 Sirius is currently 3.5 years old (as of 5-2022) and dual purpose Belgian Malinois.
K9 Sirius’ addition to the Chino Valley Police Department in 2020 was made possible through a donation from a private citizen. The care and maintenance of a police K9 is an expensive endeavor. With the assistance from donations like that of the private citizen, as well as partnerships with companies like Olsen's grain, who provide food for the lifetime of the K9's within Yavapai County, departments are able to sustain their K9 programs.
The canine program at the Chino Valley Police Department has many other community partners who make the program a success. The partners include Olsen’s Grain, who provides the food for the life of our police canines, and Circle L Animal Clinic, who provides discounted medical care for the police canines.