The Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) invites the community to meet its newest K9 officers—Brisa and Loki!
Join us for a special GJPD K9 Meet and Greet on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Sherwood Park (1301 E. Sherwood Drive).
Officers Cory Swetnam and Cody Lopez, along with their K9 partners Brisa and Loki, successfully completed a nine-week law enforcement K9 training this summer at the Rocky Mountain Canine Academy in Denver, Colorado. The training focused on obedience, search techniques, trust-building, and scent detection of controlled substances in a variety of real-world scenarios. Since graduating the academy, the K9 teams have continued their development through weekly trainings with local trainer and former GJPD K9 handler, Cheryl Yaws, focusing on drug detection and tracking/trailing work.
The GJPD K9 program has a proud history, beginning in 1988 with K9 Ucca and his handler, Officer Mark Russell. Since then, close to 20 K9s have served the department in roles such as apprehension and narcotics detection. The program paused in the spring of 2024 after the retirement of K9 Vamos due to medical reasons, while the department focused on staffing and resources.
In late 2024, two community members, Ann Raabe and Paul DiMarchi—after participating in the Community Police Academy—generously contributed to reviving the program. Their donation made it possible for GJPD to bring on two new sworn handlers and two K9s, reestablishing this important resource for our community.
Chief Matt Smith shared, “K9s Brisa and Loki, and Officers Swetnam and Lopez add a critical layer of safety to our community. Their specialized skills give us another tool to remove dangerous drugs from our streets and protect those we serve. Thanks to the generosity of Ann and Paul, we’re not only enhancing public safety but also creating meaningful connections with those we serve.”
Since graduating the K9 academy, the Grand Junction Police Department’s newest K9 team has already assisted law enforcement in locating over 135 grams of illegal drugs, responded to more than 40 calls for service with partner agencies, and participated in numerous community events, earning plenty of tail wags and smiles from kids and adults alike.
We hope to see you at Sherwood Park as we celebrate the return of the GJPD K9 program and welcome Brisa and Loki to the team!
(GJPD K9 Loki)
(GJPD K9 Brisa)