(Maricopa County)

The Goodyear Police Department Canine unit currently
consists of two police service dog teams. Both Canines
are Belgian Malinois (pronounced MAL-in-wah). The Malinois
is the short-coated variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog.
They are fawn colored with a black mask. In the United States,
they have been shown as a separate breed since 1959. Dogs
are 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 60 to 80 pounds.
This is a “high energy” dog that does best when it has a
definite purpose in life. It is generally not a dog for
the novice dog owner, for, while it is extremely trainable,
it does not do well with poor or insufficient training.

In addition to assisting with normal patrol duties, the Canine
Unit is frequently called upon to assist other officers on
all types of searches. They may be used in vehicle and
foot pursuits to locate fleeing suspects and for containment.
They also conduct demonstrations within the community
for schools, community groups, and service clubs.