By Dan Lieberman,
Caltrain riders might be seeing a new face around our stations in the near future, albeit a fuzzy one. Igor, a 1 ½ year old, 70-pound German Shepherd has joined his canine colleagues, Thor and Meiko, on the Caltrain Transit Police and is eager to get to work. Igor and his handler Deputy Sheriff Kyle McDevitt met for the first time last week and have been inseparable ever since. Igor was born in the Czech Republic and was cared for by a rotating staff, so Deputy McDevitt is the first real owner he’s ever had.
Spending a few minutes with them, it’s clear that Igor is quite happy with the new arrangement.
Currently, Igor and Deputy McDevitt are going through basic handling training, after which they will spend six weeks in explosive ordinance detection training, which will be one of Igor’s primary responsibilities. Igor will be working a standard four-day week until around the age of 10, which is the standard K-9 retirement age.
Deputy McDevitt is quite happy with his new partner, having been raising German Shepherds for 20 years, so the next time you’re at a Caltrain Station and see Igor & Deputy McDevitt with a big smile on their faces, be sure to welcome Igor to the force.