Hide-and-seek, K9-style: Cops & Kids Camp takes to the park

By Luciano Marano • July 27, 2019 9:30 am
Pat Engaas photo | The latest group of Cops & Kids Camp attendees gather with Bainbridge Island Police Department K9 Officer Whitney and her human parter Officer Kurt Enget outside the station.
Pat Engaas photo | The latest group of Cops & Kids Camp attendees gather with Bainbridge Island Police Department K9 Officer Whitney and her human parter Officer Kurt Enget outside the station.

The annual four-day Cops & Kids Camp, hosted by the Bainbridge Island Police Department, took to Waterfront Park Thursday, July 28 for a special session of hide-and-seek with Whitney, the department’s K9 bloodhound.

The campers went for a ride on the police boat the day before, and enjoyed arts and crafts time and various cop-themed activities throughout the camp, including trying to elude Whitney.

“We had one camper ‘hide’ and Whitney and the other campers ‘found’ their camping buddy,” said BIPD Community Resource Officer Carla Sias. “So we started with getting the scent from the hider, tracked her, and Whitney got a treat.”

Needless to say, the would-be hiders didn’t stand much chance against the best nose in island crime prevention.

Whitney a 80-pound bloodhound puppy, is the island force’s latest K9, the first since Rusty, who retired in early 2013. Whitney first started on the job in May, having met and trained with her human partner, Officer Kurt Enget.