Western States Police Canine Association

2. "Novice" (Competes against all Open and Novice categories, including overall Novice, Overall Open, and Top Team awards. Not eligible for Class A awards)

a. Handler and dog must be a full-time law enforcement working dog team

b. Handler and dog must be assigned to a full time position with a law enforcement agency whose primary function is the prevention of crime and apprehension of violators of the law.

1. Section (b) includes members of the custodial branch of the law enforcement - ie: CYA, Prisons, etc, as long as handler and dog are assigned a full-time position

c. The dog shall have competed in no more then two canine trials, nor have been certified for law enforcement duties for more then one year

3. Class "A" (Competes only against other class A teams. Not eligible for Open, Novice, or Top Team awards)

a. Retired Canines - Any dog that was a former street certified law enforcement canine

1. Handler can be active or retired, and need not presently be assigned to the K-9 unit of a department

b. Reserve Canines - Dog is trained to a level of a working law enforcement canine, but has not yet been assigned or deployed as a working dog in a full time capacity.

1. Handler must be either a regular or reserve law enforcement officer

2. A handler wishing to compete a Reserve dog must submit a letter from his/her department head stating that the handler and dog meet the criteria outlined in 3b and 3b1 above

c. On-Call Canines - A dog who is certified for use on the streets, but is not working in a full-time capacity, and is primarily used on an On-Call basis.

1. Handler must be either a regular or reserve law enforcement officer

2. A handler wishing to compete an On-Call dog must submit a letter from his/her department head stating that the handler and dog meet the criteria outlined in 3c and 3c1 above

4. Narcotics / Explosives Canine

A.. Handler and dog must be a law enforcement working dog team, deployed to detect drugs or explosives.

B. Handler and dog must be assigned to a full time position with a law enforcement or military agency whose primary function is the prevention of crime and apprehension of violators of the law.