DOG TAKES BITE OUT OF DRUG CRIME

Mess with Greif and you can expect some grief. Just ask Cape Girardeau Police Chief Howard Boyd.

"Don't walk through with a marijuana cigarette in your pocket," Boyd said while speaking of Greif, the police department's trained male German shepherd. "You'll probably leave without your pocket and a piece of your butt, too. He doesn't like drugs."

Greif's first-year anniversary with the department was Oct. 22. In his time there, Greif (pronounced Grife) has nosed out a niche for himself by sniffing out drugs in searches, tracking people, and helping to quiet disturbances.

Cape Girardeau police purchased the dog last year for $3,000 as the canine partner for Patrolman Dennis Horn. Horn and Greif patrol the city, currently on the evening shift, in the department's K-9 unit, a Ford LTD. The car's back seat was taken out and replaced with a special platform and cage.

The duo took to patrolling full-time around the end of August, Horn said. Before that, Greif went through training to detect drugs and to adapt to police work. The dog, now 6 years of age, lives in a kennel at Horn's city home.

Greif is Schutzhund-trained to the highest level. Schutzhund is a German method of training police dogs.

Boyd said the dog is an extremely valuable asset and the department has loaned him out for use to federal, state and other local agencies. The dog has assisted the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Marshal's Service. Horn estimated Greif has helped out in 20 to 30 drug cases since the first of the year.

"He's found a few drugs," said Horn. "We haven't gotten into anything big yet. We're still on the ground floor."

Once, while helping out with a search warrant at a house, Horn said, Greif scared up a cat. Greif tried to chase the cat, but Horn said he was able to get the dog under control.

"I don't care how much training you put into them," he said, "their natural instinct comes out now and then."

As for regular patrol work, Horn said, police like to take Greif along when they respond to peace disturbances. People seem to calm down when they see Greif and are less willing to try and fight with a police officer, Horn said.

"These guys will try to fight the cops, but they don't want anything to do with the dog. He's a pretty good deterrent as far as assaults," Horn said.

Horn doesn't call on Greif to attack people who are fighting. He's there to protect the police officers only. Greif is trained to help out the officers if needed or if, Horn said, he gives him a verbal command.

"He's an extra pair of eyes, too," he added. "If you've got four or five suspects and two officers, it's hard to watch them and search them, too. He can watch them while we take care of business."

Greif has also been used to search buildings that are found to be burglarized or left open. The dog searches the buildings before police go in, said Horn. Although authorities have used Greif to track people, he hasn't found anybody. Horn said it's hard to track someone in the city because once the dog gets on pavement, it's hard for him to pick up the scent.

Boyd said Greif has even found drugs in the police department's booking room. Suspects got rid of the drugs after police officers apparently failed to find the drugs in searches, he said.

"Just walking through the room, he would immediately pounce on it," Boyd said. "Probably it wouldn't have been noticed until the custodial staff came through the next day and swept. He's really good."

One time, Boyd said, Greif found the drugs stuck in the underside lip of a table. Another time the drugs were behind a table leg.

Horn said Greif and he have become "buddies." Greif is a friendly dog, he said.

"He likes all the officers. He's one of the guys."