Officer Mike Varilek
moved to the Mobridge Police Department after working as a
Deputy Sheriff in Onida, South Dakota and a Police Officer in
Madison, South Dakota. Officer Varilek and Police Service Dog
(PSD) Winnie began working as a team in September of 2009.
Officer Varilek and
PSD Winnie have attended the South Dakota Highway
Patrol Narcotics Detector Dog Course which was held in Pierre,
South Dakota. The six week course was broken up into
modules allowing the dog handler and PSD to become proficient
in one skill before beginning training on the next skill.
Upon completion of
the course, Officer Varilek and PSD Winnie became certified
with a title under the International Congress of Police
Service Dogs as a Narcotic Detector Team.
Officer Varilek and PSD Winnie conduct drug detection
operations in the Mobridge area, ranging from traffic stops to
school searches and premises searches.
The Mobridge Police
Department K9 Drug Detection Unit receives funding from the
general public by donations as well as through government
entities in the area in addition to the Mobridge municipal
government. By agreements, Officer Varilek and PSD Winnie
respond to requests for assistance by other law enforcement
agencies in the surrounding area.
