Police Department launches new K-9 program with officer ‘Robin’

CHAMBLEE, Ga. — A local police department went a decade without its own K-9 unit, but that’s now changing.

Chamblee will now have a dog on the force, to help track down suspects, as well as reach out to the community.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach met the new duo.

It’s been more than 10 years since Chamblee police had a K-9 unit, but now Robin, a Belgian Malinois, will be taking the streets in the next couple of weeks.

K-9 officer David Luna and Robin form a great partnership.

“He’s very social, very calm tempered,” Luna said. “He wants to work, but also wants to please, and having those two in a Belgian Malinois is exceptional.”

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Born in Holland, the dog understands commands in three languages: Dutch, Spanish and English.

Luna started working with Robin two years ago but just joined Chamblee police in March in hopes of re-launching a K-9 unit.

The department has had to call on other agencies’ K-9s 74 times in the last year, from finding drugs to dangerous criminals.

“A murder suspect they had here in Chamblee ran into the woods and Brookhaven was able to assist us with a K-9 unit.”

To put him to the test, Gehlbach hid his favorite tug toy, and didn’t take long for Robin to get on the trail, track down the sent, and find it.

He also has the mission of community relations, visiting schools and public outreach.

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And why the name Robin? His litter was named after DC comic characters

“His brother was Batman, there was Joker, Penguin,” Luna said.

The sidekick just fits.

Robin will start patrols in the next few weeks, just waiting on new badging for the vehicle and most importantly a heat alarm.

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