A new competition testing the skills of K-9s and SWAT officers working together will be held in July.

The inaugural “SKIDDS Challenge” will be held in Oxnard, Calif., (one hour north of Los Angeles) on July 21, 2004. This one-day competition, hosted by the Oxnard Police Department’s SWAT and K-9 unit, will test teams of five SWAT officers and a handler and K-9 in areas of stealth searches, shooting skills, team movement, arrest procedures, agility, tactical obedience, and physical endurance. The competition will be based on the skills taught and lessons learned at the SWAT & K-9 Interacting During Deployment school (S.K.I.D.D.S.) started by Brad Smith, one of the organizers of the event.

Sergeant Bill Lewis from the Oxnard Police Department and Officer Brad Smith of the West Covina (Calif.) Police Department are developing the competition to emphasize the benefits of SWAT and K-9s working together at a department and to make participating teams aware of their strengths and weaknesses so they can further improve their skills.

If your department is interested in competing in the inaugural SKIDDS Challenge or would like more information, contact Sgt. Lewis at (805) 385-8289 or via e-mail at BillLewis@Oxnardpd.org.