Summary:
- Some casinos in Las Vegas have K9 units to keep their customers, employees and properties safe
- Wynn Las Vegas uses K9 teams on its casino floor for protection
- Wynn’s K9 unit recently won the LVMPD K9 Trials Championship in the Hotel Explosives Division
Casinos continue to be a target for petty and hardcore criminals due to the amount of money exchanged and the huge number of high-value customers entering their vicinities.
Operators recognize the importance of putting in place tight security to thwart bad elements and that is why some casinos have police dogs, known as “K9”, as part of their security personnel.
Wynn K9 Unit Wins LVMPD K9 Trials Championship
K9 teams are present in a few casinos in the US, including Wynn Las Vegas. Recently, K9 handlers at Wynn took part in the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) K9 Trials held at Mandalay Bay. Once again, the casino’s K9 Unit emerged as the champion in the Hotel Explosives Division, with K9 Handler Oshanna Remy and K9 Lotto taking home the top award.
The Wynn K9 Unit has topped the competition since 2016 but this year is extra special as Remy is the first female K9 handler to win the LVMPD K9 Trials championship in the Hotel Explosives division in the competition’s 30-year history.
K9 teams have been part of Wynn’s security department since it opened in 2005. Ryan Millbern, Senior Program Manager of K9 Operations at Wynn Las Vegas, said the casino’s employees and patrons have come to love the police dogs and feel safer when they see them inside the establishment.
The K9 Handler role is one of the most sought-after positions in Wynn’s security department, according to Millbern, which only shows that a lot of people also love working with dogs.
Police Dogs Play Crucial Role in Keeping Casinos Safe
Millbern, who also currently serves as president of the International Casino & Resort Working Dog Association (ICRWDA), said K9s are force multipliers in terms of maintaining security. One K9 can do its job more quickly and more efficiently than 10 to 12 human security officers, he added.
K9s also undergo rigorous training, and those deployed at casinos begin training when they are six months old. The training usually lasts between 16-22 weeks.
The ICRWDA conducts training for canines involved in casino security programs and Millbern said their main focus is to train dogs to be extremely capable in loud and dynamic environments. They also make sure the dogs are not abused by using positive training techniques.
Apart from Wynn, other casinos in Las Vegas have also deployed K9 units in their establishments, including MGM, Resorts World, the Venetian and Caesars Palace.
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