The Reno Police Department’s K-9 Unit has been serving our community for over 50 years. Currently, the department utilizes a variety of canine breeds to accomplish its mission. A special bond exists between our police dogs and handlers. All of the police dogs go home with their handlers each day and are a large part of their families. While at home, the dogs spend time relaxing and playing.
The unit deploys both dual purpose patrol canines as well as single purpose detection canines. The police canines and handlers train in a variety of locations throughout the Truckee Meadows. Many of these locations are offered to the K-9 Unit by generous business owners in our community. The police dogs and handlers are put through rigorous training exercises and must pass demanding certification tests annually. The health and wellbeing of the police dogs will always remain the top priority for the Reno Police Department.
The K-9 Unit regularly assists other units within the Reno Police Department. They are also called to assist many allied agencies at the local, state, and federal levels within the states of Nevada and California.
To contact the K9 department please contact Lt. Yturbide at yturbidet@reno.gov
We encourage you to come meet our police dogs at one of the many public demonstrations or public safety fairs in which they participate annually. Please feel free to call us or Follow us on Facebook for more information regarding community activities. We would love to see you!
The K-9 Unit relies heavily on community donations. Your online donations supporting the K-9 Unit are accepted through the Reno Police Foundation PayPal account. Click on the donate button below and be sure to type K-9 in the space provided below the donation amount titled,"Write a Note (Optional)." You will receive a charitable gift acknowledgement for your tax records within a few days. Thank you very much!
Lt. Browett has been with the Reno Police Department since 2005. He is currently assigned to the Traffic Division. Supervision of the K-9 Unit is a collateral responsibility. Lt. Browett has previously served as a PTO, Sergeant, and PTS. Prior to his employment with the Reno Police Department, he was a deputy in Colorado where he was a K-9 handler of a dual purpose Patrol / Narcotics K-9.
Lt. Yturbide joined the Reno Police Department in 2004 following his father’s career path and is currently assigned to the Patrol Division. Lt. Yturbide has served in several capacities for the Reno Police Department including, PTO, DRE, and Detectives. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2017 and Lieutenant in 2021. Lt. Yturbide has a passion for animals which includes the Horse Mounted Unit which he helped reinstitute in 2019 and currently supervises. He is excited to have the opportunity to supervise the Reno Police Department K-9 Unit and hopes to add a Therapy Dog to assist with Wellness and Peer Support for the department.
Sgt. Mayfield became an Officer of the Reno Police Department in 2004. During his career he has been assigned to the K9 Unit as a handler and trainer, a Police Training Officer, and a Motor Officer. As a handler Sgt Mayfield worked two dual purpose Patrol / Drug Detection Canines throughout his 9 years in the unit. Sgt Mayfield was promoted in 2020 and has been supervising the K9 Unit since January of 2022. Sgt Mayfield supervises the day to day functions and oversees the training of the canines and handlers assigned to the unit.
Officer Weaver has been with the Reno Police Department since 2004. He has been a K-9 handler since 2015. Scully, who is a Dutch Shepherd, partnered with Officer Weaver when he was just 18 months old. Scully was born in 2013. Scully is trained in narcotics detection, handler protection, criminal apprehension, tracking, and article location / searching. Officer Weaver serves as the units’ lead trainer.
- K-9’s favorite treat: Scully doesn’t get treats very often but when he does it’s a chew that helps clean his teeth.
- K-9’s favorite game: Scully likes to fetch. His favorite game may be tracking humans though
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity: Sleeping. Scully sleeps in his kennel upside down with his feet back and holds them in the air.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity for the handler and K-9 together: Scully and Officer Weaver enjoy hiking to the tops of mountains then sitting while they count ridge tops in the distance
- Funniest thing the K-9 has done: When Scully sleeps he has vivid dreams, runs in his sleep, and barks!
- Naughtiest thing the K-9 has done: Once, during a building search, Scully’s professionalism was overcome by an irresistible food he came across - bacon grease.
- K-9’s worst bad habit: When Scully isn’t feeling well he turns to eating - and has been known to eat things he shouldn’t.
- K-9’s nickname(s): Scullyman, Sculls, Bub
- K-9’s cool trick(s): Scully will respond to a command to use the restroom.
Officer Schwartz has worked for the Police Department since 2003. He joined the K-9 Unit in 2017. Rone was born in 2016 and is a Czech Shepherd from Hungary. Rone is certified in narcotics detection, tracking, suspect apprehension, handler protection, and article location / searches.
- K-9’s favorite treat: Rone likes to snack on chicken jerky.
- K-9’s favorite game: Rone loves nothing more than a simple game of fetch.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity: Rone likes to go for rides in Officer Schwartz’s truck with his four legged brother.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity for the handler and K-9 together: Rone and Officer Schwartz love to go camping together.
- Funniest thing the K-9 has done: Rone once saw a rabbit and decided to give chase. The screen door that was in between hardly slowed him down but it was enough the rabbit was long gone.
- Naughtiest thing the K-9 has done: Rone couldn’t resist a taco on Officer Schwartz’s wife’s plate, so he helped himself.
- K-9’s worst bad habit: Rone chews on his back foot for no apparent reason.
- K-9’s nickname(s): Brother - Rone’s four legged brother likes to play "Go look for brother (Rone)," a kind of hide and go seek game.
- K-9’s cool trick(s): Rone just learned how to shake hands
Officer Carter has been with the Reno Police Department since 2003 and a K-9 handler since 2017. He is a member of the Consolidated Bomb Squad which serves much of Northern Nevada with incidents involving explosives. Julio, born in 2016, is a Golden Retriever. He is certified as a single purpose explosives detection K-9.
- K-9’s favorite treat: Julio enjoys Milk Bones.
- K-9’s favorite game: Julio likes to chase after tennis balls.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity: Julio enjoys playing with his family’s other four legged family member
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity for the handler and K-9 together: Officer Carter and Julio like spending time at the lake.
- Funniest thing the K-9 has done: Julio thought it would be fun to make friends with a skunk.
- Naughtiest thing the K-9 has done: Julio made friends with a skunk. The friendship did not last but the smell did.
- K-9’s worst bad habit: Julio has a bad habit of trying to chase ducks.
- K-9’s nickname(s): Jules
- K-9’s cool trick(s): Julio is all business!
Officer Jones began his career with the Reno Police Department in 2007. His assignments over the years have included Patrol, the Crime Suppression Team, and the Street Enforcment Team where he worked as the lead detective investigating Sex Trafficking and was assigned to the FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force. Derek was appointed to the Nevada Coalition to Prevent the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children by Governer Sandoval. Derek was selected to the RPD K9 Unit in January of 2021. A few months later he was paired with his K9 partner, police service dog Drax. Drax is a 2 year old german shepherd dual purpose patrol dog.
- K-9’s favorite treat: Drax enjoys his dental chews and any treats from the RPD administrative office staff.
- K-9’s favorite game: Drax loves to play tag - he will run up to you, jump up, and tag you as he goes by.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity: Drax loves hanging out with the family and playing in the pool when it’s hot.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity for the handler and K-9 together: Drax likes to improve his skills off duty and enjoys runs with his handler.
- Funniest thing the K-9 has done: When Drax arrived home, he was exploring the backyard. He climbed up on a landscaping wall and jumped out onto the pool's winter cover. He bounced twice, then jumped up stunned, and took off.
- Naughtiest thing the K-9 has done: Running through the house at Mach 10, sliding on the hardwood floor and breaking furniture.
- K-9’s worst bad habit: None yet.
- K-9’s nickname(s): Draxinator, Mr. Nator, Drax the Destroyer.
- K-9’s cool trick(s): Giving hugs (once calm, which isn’t very often)
Officer Christensen was sworn in as a Police Officer in February of 2015. Throughout his career he has worked Patrol and on the Downtown Enforcement Team. Officer Christensen was selected for the RPD K9 Unit in October of 2021 when he picked up Monroe. Monroe is a Malinois who was born in Hungary. He is a dual purpose K9 certified in patrol and narcotic detection.
- K-9’s favorite treat: Monroe helps himself to any small treats (usually human food) that he can find on the ground.
- K-9’s favorite game: Monroe is absolutely crazy about his ball. He will play any game as long as it involves a ball.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity: Monroe enjoys belly rubs and head scratches when he takes off his uniform.
- K-9’s favorite off duty activity for the handler and K-9 together: Monroe has developed a need to be around Officer Christensen at all times. He enjoys doing anything with Officer Christensen whether that be hanging out in the backyard or trips to Home Depot.
- Funniest thing the K-9 has done: While Monroe and Officer Christensen were chasing a subject Monroe accidentally tripped Officer Christensen causing him to fall. After tripping Officer Christensen Monroe stared at Officer Christensen wondering why he was on the ground.
- Naughtiest thing the K-9 has done: Monroe enjoys running around the house grabbing anything and everything he should not have.
- K-9’s worst bad habit: Monroe enjoys gardening. He prunes bushes in the backyard until they are almost completely gone.
- K-9’s nickname(s): Money, Money Man, Money Monroe, Wild Man
- K-9’s cool trick(s): When he is calm and laying down when told "show me the belly" he will roll over for belly rubs.
- DOB: 04/20/20