By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
The Iron County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team placed 5th in two categories at the 33rd annual Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department K-9 Trials, marking a significant achievement for the agency.
Corporal Eric Rohmann and his K-9 partner, Voyak, earned 5th place in vehicle and overall narcotics detection, competing against 53 other teams from the Western United States.
“We went down there just wanting to see where we stood,” Rohmann said. “I wasn’t expecting to place, but it really speaks volumes about our program and the training we do here in Iron County.”
The trials, held at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, brought together law enforcement K-9 teams from across the country to test their skills in a variety of categories. Competitions included narcotics and explosives detection, suspect apprehension, obedience, and agility courses.
The event is hosted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and aims to foster camaraderie among agencies while providing an opportunity to showcase the dogs’ abilities.
“These trials really highlight the dedication and hard work that goes into K-9 training,” Lt. Shawn Peterson said. “It’s a chance to see how we measure up against other agencies and learn from each other.”
For the Iron County Sheriff’s Office, the decision to participate followed encouragement from the Cedar City Police Department, whose handlers have attended the trials in previous years. The two agencies, along with other local departments, conduct joint training sessions every week.
“Our agencies train together every week,” Rohmann said. “We don’t operate like separate departments when it comes to K-9 work. Being from a rural area, it makes us stronger when we collaborate. So Cedar City really encouraged us to go with them so we could represent Iron County as a whole and show what our dogs are capable of.”
Voyak’s success at the trials came as a surprise for Rohmann, who didn’t spend much time preparing for the competition. Rather than focusing on trial-specific drills, Rohmann said he prioritized real-world training to ensure Voyak was ready for the challenges they might face on the job.
“Even though I didn’t specifically train for the obstacles, my dog just had the drive to go out there and perform,” Rohmann said. “Still, hee took them on without hesitation.”
Voyak, who has served for nearly seven years, will retire in July. Peterson said the K-9’s performance at the trials was especially impressive given his approaching retirement.
“He’s had some dental issues, and we’ve put a lot of effort into maintaining his health with support from the Friends of Iron County Police K-9 organization,” Peterson said. “But at this point, we want him to enjoy his retirement.”
With Rohmann’s recent promotion to corporal, the sheriff’s office plans to select a new handler and purchase a replacement K-9 by the end of the summer.
The results reflect the excellence of Iron County’s training program, even though only the top five in each category received awards.
“It’s not just about winning,” Peterson said. “It’s about knowing that our dogs and handlers are prepared for real-world scenarios, and that’s something we can all be proud of. We’re proud of what our team accomplished. This experience showed the strength of our program and the dedication of our handlers.”
Looking ahead, the department hopes to build on its success and continue its presence at future trials.
“This was a learning experience,” Rohmann said. “Now that we’ve seen what to expect, I think we’ll come back even stronger next time.”
The Friends of Iron County Police K-9s sponsored the trip, providing financial support for the team’s participation.
Captions: Corporal Eric Rohmann and K9 Vojak