Patrol works to keep K-9 troopers

The Nevada Highway Patrol is working to preserve its K-9 program after six of the eight troopers working with the dogs asked to be reassigned.

Department of Public Safety Director Chris Perry said Thursday that he has met with the troopers and hopes to persuade them to stay on. The troopers submitted individual requests to be reassigned on Monday. The state paid for them to travel to Carson City on Tuesday for a meeting to address their concerns.

The troopers had heard a rumor that the dogs were going to be retrained and were upset, Perry said. In their resignation letters, the troopers said that they are concerned that the dogs will be trained by local police departments instead of according to the state's practices. The troopers said that local public safety dogs are not as well-trained as the state dogs.

"I am puzzled and disappointed in the administration's decision to lower our K-9 standards," one of the troopers wrote.

Perry said there are no plans to overhaul the program.

"I don't know what's driving this," he said. "They are not going to have their dogs retrained. It's too expensive."

Perry sent a letter to the troopers Thursday to reassure them that the program will continue.