The Lafayette Police Department has a new officer hitting the streets on four paws.
K9 Kane, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois, was introduced to the public today in a meet and greet sponsored by Lafayette Crime Stoppers. Kane was purchased by Lafayette Crime Stoppers for the department.
Kevin McFarland who is an officer with the Lafayette Police Department and handler for Kane says that it is great having a partner always by his side.
“He becomes a kid for me. He’s with me 24/7. We are on patrols 10 hours out of the night and we go home and he’s sleeping in the house,” McFarland said.
McFarland says that the job has been enjoyable for the 6 months he has been with Kane. The two were paired and trained for several months before going out on their first call.
“We are going to the worst of the worst calls in the city, it can be nerve-wracking but I enjoy it,” said McFarland says of the job.
Kane will help prevent crime and protect the citizens of Lafayette but he is also just like any other dog.
“He knows the difference between work and play,” McFarland says. “He loves him some Panda Express chicken.”
McFarland speaks Dutch to Kane which is typically the language used to train police K9’s.
The first time the two went out together was in April 2019 where they tracked a suspect in a wooded area of Lafayette. They apprehended that suspect.
