Officer Raya settles in at BPD
The Burnet Police Department’s new narcotics detection dog, Officer Raya, and her handler, Officer Rhett Levingston. Staff photo by Elizabeth De Los Santo
The Burnet Police Department has a new officer: 14-month-old German shorthair pointer Raya from Bulgaria.
The certified narcotics detection dog is trained to sniff out five illegal substances: marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy).
She has been with the BPD for three weeks. Her handler, Officer Rhett Levingston, has been on the force for three years.
Raya’s role is to detect and deter the circulation of harmful drugs, while Levingston is responsible for her care, training, and guidance on the job. This is Levingston’s first experience with a K9 partner, a role he has wanted since the start of his law enforcement career.
“This is the one thing I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. “I mean, dogs are man’s best friend, so she’s the best partner I could have.”
Officer Raya’s journey to Burnet began in the Balkan nation of Bulgaria, where she was selected for her breed and scent detection abilities. After arriving in the United States, she further fine-tuned her skills, including developing consistent search patterns and learning to alert her handler when she detects illicit drugs.
“We knew Raya was a good candidate because of her driveability,” Levingston said. “She’s very prey driven. She knows if she does her search and alerts us properly, she’ll get a toy.”
To maintain her sharp nose, Raya will undergo at least 16 hours of training each month. Her training, day-to-day work, and home life with Levingston strengthen their bond.
“We are together every day, for the majority of the day. We train together, she goes home with me every day, and we play outside,” Levingston said. “Sometimes, on the drive home, I let her sit up front and she rests her head on my lap.”
Raya also has other duties on the horizon. The BPD plans to train her as a tracking dog to find missing people.