Police from all over Idaho training with their four-legged partners in Meridian

Police K-9s from across the Treasure Valley and beyond are getting better at taking a bite out of crime. Using an empty warehouse police dogs and their handlers are training for the real things with the help of a company out of Utah. 

The class focuses on advanced techniques, not for the dogs, but the trainers who work with them. Officers are learning how to take a bite from a police dog while wearing a protective suit. The training is also giving the police K-9s another way to practice their skills. Police dogs have to be recertified by the state every year, and training like this helps them perform better on the job. 

"It's putting our K-9s and the public in a position to be safer if they do have to come in contact with our K-9s out in the street. It provides a better experience for both of them," said Sgt. Kirk Rush of the Boise Police Department. 

The class wraps up on Thursday.