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K-9 Team Seminar Cost $225.00

Lunch Provided Daily

 

 

www.southerntierpolicek9.com

www.theepca.com

 

New York State Testing/Certification Available

Eastern Police Canine Association Testing/Certification Available

 

Meeting Location: 161 McMasters Street, Owego, New York (Owego Fire Training Site)

Contact telephone number (607) 343-1487

 

Questions or concerns contact:

                             SEMINAR COORDINATOR:

                             Larry Vanek: (607) 343-1487

Email:  jvanek@stny.rr.com

 

 

Gary Creed

Staff Sergeant Royal Canadian Mounted Police Senior Trainer and acting Officer in Charge of RCMP Training Centre

Gary joined the RCMP in 1992 and at the completion of basic training was posted to General Duties in Coronach, Saskatchewan.  In 1997 he was transferred to Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.  During his time in Saskatchewan, Gary was actively involved in the RCMP Police Dog Service Imprinting program.  This program involved raising potential police dogs for the RCMP.  After 6 years and 6 potential puppies, Gary was accepted into the RCMP Police Dog Service.  Gary completed dog training in 2000 and was posted to Kelowna, BC.  Gary worked 3 different police dogs while stationed in Kelowna, Dasty, Axel, and Rocket.  Gary was trained in all aspects of police dog work including tracking, searching, criminal apprehension, obedience, ERT, Tactical teams, explosive and narcotic searching, land and avalanche Search and Rescue.  In 2012, Gary was promoted to the RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre as a pre trainer where he oversaw the imprinting program and help prepare dog for formal training.  In 2014, Gary was promoted to a Trainer for the RCMP PDS where he trained police dog teams in all aspects of Police work.  In 2017, Gary was promoted to his current position of RCMP Police Dog Service Senior Trainer where he is responsible for all aspect of the RCMP PDS training program along with the annual validations for all RCMP dogs in Canada.  Gary is planning on retiring from the RCMP in 2022.

Gary will assist in tracking and scent detection and will present his Fentanyl detection program that he developed

 

Joe Homza 

K9 Handler/Trainer, (Wilkes-Barre City Police, PA)

Patrolman Joe Homza of the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, PA is an active law enforcement officer and K-9 Handler working a dual-purpose patrol and narcotics detection dog, Dasti. Joe is a Team Leader of his department’s Emergency Services Unit, a Field Training Officer, a member of the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and a Special Deputy United States Marshal sworn in support of the Middle District of Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force.
Joe currently serves as an Assistant Law Enforcement K-9 Trainer for the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (PVWDC) northeast training group consisting of teams from eight agencies across three counties in northeast PA. The PVWDC provides in-service training for over 40 canine teams in the greater Philadelphia area and northeast PA.
Joe is an active board member of the Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission Canine Working Group for Law Enforcement Canine Training and Certification Standards (Act 60) for the state of Pennsylvania.
Joe specializes in patrol tactics with canine integration, scenario based training, and proper police K-9 decoy skills. Joe has served as a trainer/decoy for High Risk Deployment Police K-9 in multiple seminars in PA and SC.

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Tom Szczygiel 

K9 Handler/Trainer, (Canada)

Tom is a Canadian police officer where he is an active-duty police dog handler.  Tom is working his second dog which he has trained resulting in the apprehension of numerous criminals tracking and has assisted in training and problem-solving numerous dogs with tracking and explosive detection.  

 

Duane Shaffer

TSA

Duane is a well-known trainer and has handled a K-9 as a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant and captain, the unit’s supervisor with the Binghamton, NY Police Department retiring as such and is currently a Field K9 Coordinator for TSA at the Miami-Dade International Airport.  Duane is one of the founders of EPCA and STPCA.  Duane is one of the directors of EPCA and STPCA.  Duane is the president of the EPCA as well as an examiner, and trainer for EPCA and STPCA.

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