Model Cop
Fellow officers say Quarz is strong, agile, faithful and friendly. He's also blessed with a great sense of smell.
By Shari Kaplan
Photographs by Kathy De La Torre
It's too bad all rookie cops aren't as exemplary as Officer Quarz aus der Glockenbergschfereii of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department. The young officer and German native--hence, the unusual name--is admired by his colleagues for his strength and agility, his keen physical senses, his exuberant and friendly nature and his dogged loyalty to his partner, Officer Sam Wonnell. Quarz also has never been known to utter an unpleasant word about anything. Just recently, he proved himself further by earning first place in a search exercise in La Honda attended by other officers like himself from many law enforcement departments, mainly from the Bay Area.
His only obvious fault is evidenced by the ragged upholstery in the back of Wonnell's patrol car, which Quarz likes to chew.
Does this model officer suffer from some kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder?
Hardly. He is, in fact, the LG-MSPD's first-ever canine, a 3-year-old black-and-tan German shepherd. "Hired" in the summer of 1999, Quarz received a commendation at the Nov. 6 Los Gatos Town Council meeting for his top-notch performance in a timed competitive search, a part of the Witmer Tyson Imports 17th annual Police Dog Trial on Oct. 18 and 19.
In just 47 seconds, Quarz located and pointed out to Wonnell a well-hidden person ensconced somewhere within a large, dusty barn filled with old cars, boats, boxes and assorted junk. Aside from Quarz, only two of the 30 police dogs found the person within their three-minute time allotment.
This yearly gathering is run by Dave Witmer and Randy Tyson--he a former police officer and she a former veterinarian. Married to each other as well as to their work, the couple buys young dogs in Germany who have been through police dog "basic training" and are now ready to meet their human partners, with whom they undergo several more weeks of training.
Quarz's favorite leisure activity is playing in the water, including Vasona Park. Officer Wonnell says Quarz has even been known to jump into the fountain just outside the police department.
Last summer, Wonnell took part in four weeks of such training alongside Quarz. Although they had never met before, the two had an instant chemistry, says Wonnell, who was also impressed by the dog's intelligence.
"Quarz was basically 'made-to-order.' When I first got him, I didn't even know all of what I was doing, but he did," Wonnell says, recalling how he had to learn--and properly enunciate--all of the 30 or so commands Quarz learned in Germany. The dog has, of course, picked up a good amount of English since then, as well, but all of his "business" commands are in German.
Between buying a police dog, outfitting the dog and adapting the backseat of a police car to be dog-friendly, the cost for a canine unit is around $10,000, Wonnell says. Much of this came from a local law enforcement block grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance. A handful of officers had applied last year to work the canine unit, according to LG-MSPD Chief Larry Todd; Wonnell was chosen based on his application, an interview and a review of his work in the department, where he has served since 1987.
Having a dog on the police force is something Todd says he has wanted for several years, and for several reasons. In fact, he says he eventually hopes to gain the money and town approval to have one canine unit on each of the three shifts: day, swing and graveyard.
"Frequently, we have suspects who flee--either from us, or from a crime scene. It's a labor-intensive process for several officers to have to pursue suspects on foot," Todd says.
"Quarz is a very positive addition to our ability to protect the community. A dog's sense of smell is a very effective way to locate somebody who's hiding, especially at night, or in areas like the [Los Gatos] Creek Trail. We also sometimes have lost kids, or seniors who wander from their homes or care facilities, and a dog is useful in finding them, too."
Quarz sniffs for narcotics in the apartment of a parolee in Campbell when Wonnell did a 'drop-in.' No drugs were found.
That same sense of smell also makes the dog invaluable when officers respond to calls where drug searches are involved, as he has been trained to sniff out and locate a variety of illegal substances.
"Most places we search are cluttered with junk. It would probably take two officers more than an hour to search through what he does in 10 to 15 minutes," Wonnell says.
"I think what Quarz enjoys the most is the searching. It's like a game for him. If we're going to do a building search, he's all excited," says Wonnell. But, he adds of his partner, chuckling: "His favorite joy is eating!"
Wonnell estimates that in a typical work week, he uses Quarz about two to three times for prowler or hidden suspect calls, and three to four times each week for drug searches in buildings or cars. The pair work a modified swing shift four days each week, from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m.
According to a police report, the incidence of crimes in Los Gatos has generally decreased since 1994, but the incidence of drug offenses has risen every year since 1995. Drug-related arrests have also risen 45 percent since last year, Wonnell says. This may be due either to people's greater usage of drugs, or perhaps--as the police hope--simply to a better success rate in catching them.
'Officer' Quarz even has his own official police dog tag.
Conserving on manpower is another plus for departments with canine units, Todd adds. Depending on the type of call an officer responds to, he or she may need to radio for a backup. However, officers with dogs as partners are less likely to need any backing up.
"The presence of a dog tends to have a calming effect on the situation--people are less inclined to fight with a dog and this minimizes the amount of altercations the officer might get into," Todd says.
If Wonnell ever does need help, all he needs to do is activate a small remote control on his person. This immediately opens both a window and a door on his patrol car, enabling Quarz to jump out. Although the dog has never had to bite, somehow, he would do it in a heartbeat if Wonnell gave the command.
A canine unit can also make good business sense.
"Officers are more likely to stay in a police department if there are a variety of different assignments available to them, such as bicycle patrol, motorcycle patrol and a canine unit," Todd explains.
Although Wonnell has served in several positions, including that of motorcycle cop and SWAT team member, he says this is his favorite assignment to date. "He's made my job fun again," Wonnell says, smiling at Quarz, who looks up and smiles back--ears relaxed back upon the head, mouth open and tongue lolling.
"How many people get to bring their 'pet' to work? He's not actually a pet; he's a tool--but what a tool he is! He's often the first one to hear my new ideas, or who I talk to about things. I just don't have the stress that I used to have, thanks to him."
Officer Sam Wonnell says his police dog Quarz is his best partner and best friend.
Although Wonnell first and foremost thinks of Quarz as a partner and friend, he admits it's next to impossible for officers not to develop feelings for their canine companions.
"It's very difficult not to treat him as a pet. That's the first thing they drummed into me. But at home, it's like he's part of the family," Wonnell says. His wife and three sons feed, groom and play with Quarz, but the dog does not sleep with them. He stays in his own special kennel in the yard.
Quarz isn't even Wonnell's dog, but belongs to the department. Wonnell hopes, however, to wait to retire until the dog reaches retirement age as well--another seven or eight years--so the two can stay together for life.
"A lot of people say I should have tried to become a sergeant with my years and experience, but I sure wouldn't want to give the dog up now. I'm a big dog lover, and I love this guy!" Wonnell says. "The bond between us is so strong; I know he'll do whatever I ask of him. He would even put his life down for me."
"I'm very proud of both of them," Todd says. "Awards don't just happen--both the handler and the dog have to work a lot together. Coordination [between] the two is critical, and they have it. Sam and Quarz have truly enhanced the safety of this community."
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
