Miami Police Officer John Marin and his K9 partner Rex are coming back to Boynton Beach on Saturday afternoon with one goal – to remain victorious.
The K9 team took first place in both the obstacle course and the fastest running dog competitions at last year’s South Florida Police K9 Competition.
They face stiff competition from more than 30 other K9 teams from across the state – and for the first time, outside of the country.
The K9 teams take the field at Boynton Beach High School for the 2016 South Florida Police K9 Competition at 2 p.m. on Saturday. They begin with the obstacle course portion of the competition, followed at 5 p.m. with a multi-agency demonstration featuring K9 teams from the Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Plantation, Sunrise and Davie police departments. The hardest hitting and fastest running dog competitions will follow around 6 p.m.
In addition to the main events, there will be a rock climbing wall, bounce house and SWAT obstacle course for kids. Food from Miller’s Ale House in Boynton Beach will be available for purchase, as well as drinks, cotton candy and popcorn.
The Fraternal Order of Police Gold Coast Lodge #49 is hosting the raffle this year with prizes that include 10 dive trips with gear from Splashdown Divers, a grill from Lowe’s, and hundreds of dollars in gift cards to local restaurants and stores.
K9 teams will be competing from the following agencies: Delray Beach Police Department, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Boca Raton Police Services Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Sebastian Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, Cape Coral Police Department; Fort Myers Police Department, Cocoa Police Department, Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, Davie Police Department, Coral Gables Police Department, Sunrise Police Department and Miami Police Department. There will also be a K9 team competing from Guadalajara, Mexico.
For more information about the competition, visit www.sflpolicek9competition.com.