The Sarnia Police Service is expanding its canine unit less than a year after deploying its first dog team in more than 25 years.
At a special open meeting Wednesday, the Sarnia Police Services Board approved the purchase of a second police service dog and the training of an additional canine officer. The move comes in partnership with the Windsor Police Service.
The new team will be created by reallocating an existing Sarnia officer and purchasing a second dog, with training expected to begin this summer. Officials said the new K9 team could be operational by late 2025 or early 2026.
Police Service Dog Vader and his handler, Const. Urban, have been deployed 46 times since their launch in August 2024, and have already seen 33 deployments so far in 2025.
Deputy Chief Mike Van Sickle praised the success of the program, saying:
“The K9 program has been very successful and exceeded our expectations. Our officers have been increasingly calling upon Cst. Urban and PSD Vader for building and open-area searches, narcotics detection, evidence recovery, suspect apprehension, and community engagement demonstrations. Now with almost 40% of K9 calls occurring outside of their scheduled work hours, the SPS recognizes that the demand for SPS K9 services is quickly exceeding what can be sustained by a single team.”
The addition of a second team is intended to meet the growing demand for canine services both during and outside regular working hours.
