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CPW's Newest K9 Officer Gets First Bear Exposure

COLORADO SPRINGS (Colo.) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife newest K9 officer put his training to the test.

Samson, the newest member of the CPW K9 team had his first bear exposure Tuesday night.

CPW Southeast Region tweeted video showing Samson chasing after a just released bear near Divide in Teller County.

CPW says the "tough love" to a bear is life-saving hazing to discourage the bear from returning to homes in the Colorado Springs area.

They say it's also important training for Samson to become a certified law enforcement K-9 with partner Ian Petkash.

CBS4 first told you about Samson earlier this month. Samson along with his handler just completed his three month training program.

There are three K9 officers total. They are all part of a CPW pilot program, testing the usefulness of dogs as partners in the field.

This is the second bear CPW Officers released back into the wild overnight. A bear rescued from Niwot was released into the Arapahoe or Roosevelt National Forest.

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