Patrol vehicle keeps K-9 units comfortable (with related video)

Several features of the Chevrolet Tahoe Police Patrol Vehicle (PPV) help keep hard-working police dogs comfortable. The unit’s roomy interior and advanced climate control system are suited for all three components of a K-9 unit: the police officer, the police dog and the vehicle they travel in. The image below on the right shows the unit’s spacious interior. According to the company, the SUV is the country’s most popular police vehicle for K-9 units.

“Our K-9s live with our deputies and their families. They are on duty with our deputies every day — responding to calls for service, training, and creating an unbreakable bond,” said Oakland County (Mich.) Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard. “The K-9 Unit is an invaluable tool that serves our community and the Tahoe PPV is an important part of our operation.”

Because dogs are vulnerable to heat, the Tahoe PPV has more heating and cooling vents in the vehicle’s third-row area than any other police utility vehicle, according to the company. In the Tahoe PPV, the seat is eliminated to make room for the K-9 unit’s kennel. This allows the unit’s third-row upper and lower air vents to circulate cooled air into the back of the vehicle.

“Heat exhaustion is one of the top killers of police dogs,” said Michael Werges, sergeant-at-arms, North American Police Dog Association.
Unlike humans, dogs aren’t covered in skin that allows them to sweat when temperatures get too high. The tiny pads of exposed skin on the bottom of their paws are the only way they can remove heat.

There have been a few instances this summer of police dog fatalities because of extreme heat.

“It’s imperative to police agencies that K-9 vehicles are equipped with an air conditioning system that can keep the dog’s entire body cool, from head to toe,” said Werges.

In addition to K-9 use, state and local governments and federal agencies use the Tahoe PPV for patrol, first response, tactical, HAZMAT and Border Patrol.
To learn more about the Chevrolet police portfolio, go to this site.

In the photo, a Chevy Tahoe PPV

In the video, see a Michigan K-9 unit on patrol, and what is important in a K-9 patrol vehicle.

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