VPD introduces new K-9 officer, Tripp

Now that he’s completed his certification and training as a police dog, the Vancouver Police Department is welcoming Tripp, its newest K-9, to duty.

Tripp, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, hails from the Netherlands. He is trained to search for suspects both inside and outside and to sniff out the odor of drugs, according to the department. Tripp is not trained to detect the odor of marijuana.

Tripp is named in honor of Tennessee State Trooper Douglas W. Tripp, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on May 19, 1991.

Trooper Tripp worked where the dog’s handler, Vancouver Police Officer Roger Evans, grew up.

“He was a prominent figure in our community and was very well-respected and liked,” Evans said in a news release from the department.

“When I was a teenager, I got to know Trooper Tripp quite well during the years I worked at a local restaurant,” Evans said. “Trooper Tripp became a very positive role model, mentor and friend of mine. My relationship with Trooper Tripp had a huge impact on my decision to pursue a career in law enforcement.”

In memory of the trooper’s sacrifice, the dog was given his name, Evans said.