Gainesville police to fully redeploy K-9s on Monday  

With revised training protocols, improved supervision and enhanced focus on safety measures, the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) will put its K-9 unit back on regular duty status starting Monday, according to a city press release. 

The return to regular duty follows a 10-month stint of limited deployment protocol as the units worked to increase staffing. The full deployment also comes after much public scrutiny following the apprehension of Terrell Bradley that resulted in serious bodily harm.  

In the past 10 months, only Gainesville Police Chief Lonnie Scott could deploy the K-9 units, but with the return to normal protocol, other GPD leaders will be able to make that call in accordance with criteria.  

“Getting the K-9 Unit back to regular duty is an important step for our department,” said Scott in a press release. “A well-trained K-9 Unit saves lives. The canines are used to find missing people, search for weapons, and track and apprehend armed and violent subjects.” 

Since starting limited deployment, the unit has added two officers with police dogs. This brings the unit to the four K-9 teams it needs to meet the minimum staffing goal.  

GPD also revised its K-9 manual to further detail when the unit can be deployed and to expand the list of equipment used by the unit.  

City Manager Cynthia Curry placed the K-9 teams on limited deployment following leadership changes within the unit, the release says. 

“Our intention with the limited deployment was to support the police department and its officers,” said Curry in the release. “This strategic move has achieved the intended results. It gave GPD the opportunity to evolve procedures so our skilled and dedicated police officers can continue to have all the tools they need to protect our neighbors.”