Boy Scout troop helps Oak Park Heights prison add K-9 training facility

STILLWATER, Minn. -- A new K-9 training facility was dedicated at the Oak Park Heights state prison Tuesday morning, thanks to the hard work and collaboration of the prison and a local Boy Scout troop.

"These types of opportunities don't come often," Oak Park Heights Warden Kathy Halvorson said.

Prison leaders say K-9s weren't native to Oak Park Heights and were brought to the prison several years ago. With that implementation came a need for a training facility. Before the new training grounds, K-9s and their handlers had to travel to train—sometimes out of state.

Young Stillwater scouts saw that need and played a huge role in making the training facility, from gathering donated materials to building the course itself.

It was a win-win, as the scouts did the work as their community service project.

"It was really an out of the box type of collaboration but really benefited the Boy Scouts and us," Halvorson said.

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Halvorson said the course is critical to K-9 training as well as developing a trusted relationship between K-9s and their handlers.

"You have to do that training and build that muscle memory," she said. "It builds those skills so when they are called upon in emergencies they have a higher level of response."

Oak Park Heights has two K-9 officers, but the training area will benefit all 13 K-9s in the department.