Just before Christmas, Parklea Correctional Centre officer Shannon achieved his dream of becoming a K9 handler and he loves working with his new teammate – a five-year-old Kelpie named Buddy.
K9 Officer Buddy has been working at Parklea for four years, alongside his canine colleague Tassie the Labrador. Shannon has been wanting to join the canine team since he graduated as an officer in 2020.
“This is the best job in the gaol, as you get to work with dogs. Buddy is my best mate and I get to be around him 24/7 and he’s good company,” Shannon said.
“You build a good relationship with your best mate, which doesn’t stop when you leave work. It’s a unique thing.
“They become invested in you as well and they want to work to keep you happy.”
Shannon and Buddy play an important role at Parklea searching for drugs to improve prison safety.
Buddy is a Passive Alert Drug Dog, which means he sits or lays down when he finds what he is looking for. His training involved learning to recognise several odours in different environments, so he can find drugs in cells, on people, in vehicles, as well as contraband buried underground.
Shannon and Buddy joined forces a few weeks before they undertook the intensive three-month K9 training course at Francis Greenway Correctional Complex to build rapport. Their bond grew while they were put through their paces, and they have learned to read each other’s actions and moods.
“As part of the training, you learn how to read the dog when he finds drugs – a certain stare, sit or position.
“I let him know he did what I wanted by giving him a verbal marker, which lets the dog know he did the desired behaviour and a reward is coming, which can be either food or play.
“But if Buddy isn’t feeling 100 per cent or it’s hot, he can fatigue quickly, so I know he needs to rest.”
Shannon became an officer after a career in the fitness industry, as he was looking for something new and exciting and he was attracted to the K9 handler role as he likes to keep learning.
“That’s what makes the job interesting. No two days are the same and Buddy and I are learning on the job.
“Buddy has a good energy and he’s a bit quirky. He’s a dog who wants to work hard and he has a good work ethic. We complement each other and work well together.”
To be a good K9 handler, Shannon said you have to be invested in the role and work as a team.
“Everything you do, you’re doing it to benefit the dog. Work doesn’t stop once you leave work, as it comes home with you.
“You have to keep up your fitness and training and be flexible and have integrity.”
Shannon said having Buddy on site was a deterrent to inmates and visitors thinking of bringing drugs into the prison, but it was a team effort.
“We work closely with Intel and we use their information for searches. We also work with the Incident Response Team when we do searches. I like work working within the unit and offering my experience and qualifications.”
Parklea has been operated by MTC Australia on behalf of Corrective Services NSW since April 2019.
