Photo Caption: Officers Eddie Hilton and Dru Dennis were among several officers attending a K-9 Survival School in Sevierville. Over 50 K-9 Units from around the South East attended. This was their 18th annual event.

The City of Sevierville’s 18th Annual K-9 Team Street Survival School is being held the week of December 4th – 8th in Sevierville at the “Mine” in Governors Crossing.
The seminar is designed to enhance K-9 team proficiency at basic and advanced levels with a focus on patrol and narcotics detection. The most advanced techniques and methods in law enforcement K-9 patrol and narcotic detection will be discussed and demonstrated. The seminar has been approved by the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission at 40 hours of in-service training.
Over fifty teams from more than five states attended the seminar. Classroom instruction took place at the Comfort Inn Suites Conference Center on Highway 66 in Sevierville.
Head seminar instructor Charles Kirchner, founder and head trainer of Canine Consultants, has been training law enforcement canines for over 45 years. Form 1960 to 1980 he served as a dog handler, canine instructor, and senior trainer for the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D. C. He oversaw the development, training, and management of their extensive canine division. At the height of its operation, the division had close to 100 active canine units.
In 1970, he initiated an extensive international search for information on the training of explosive detection dogs. Dismayed by the lack of information on the subject, and concerned over the rise in terrorist threats, he committed himself to the task of training the world’s first true explosive detection dog. In 1970 the first explosive detection dog completed its training and was put into service. In 1980 he retired from the Metropolitan Police Department, and formed Canine Consultants. Canine Consultants was established as a result of his determination to never compromise his principles or technique to provide the ultimate canines to law enforcement agencies throughout the world. His impressive credentials and client list are resounding proof of his success. He is a certified expert witness in training procedures for canine officers and the deployment of police service dogs.
Lieutenant Eddie Helton, K-9 Specialist with the Sevierville Police Department will serve as the Seminar Director.

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