The Monroe County K9-Unit can now train on a new and reliable training course, located right off of Pual Road in Rochester.

The enhanced course, durable for all seasons, is designed to make sure police dogs and their handlers are best equipped to carry out bomb detection sweeps, searches, and more. Sheriff Tod Baxter of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says the upgrade was made possible by area donors including Crime Stoppers, Country Max, and the Kade O’Brien Foundation.

“The obstacle course is new, up to date, clean, fresh and safe. It is everything we’ve been wanting for a long time. If it wasn’t for our collaborate partners we would not be able to do this,” he said.

Sgt. Shawn Edwards says the course needed a revamp for some time and says this will benefit more than just the MCSO K9-Unit.

“Since it has been built we’ve held multiple tests for K-9 handlers,” said Edwards. “Not only with our department, but with other departments that don’t have this. They may have a small K-9 Unit and they don’t have the obstacle course, so they come along, we let them use it, and its part of their testing process.”