Officer Victoria Lee and K9 Raven are breaking barriers in Clayton as the police department's first female K9 Unit team.
Raven, also known as "Mama Ray," is a 4-year-old German shepherd from Holland that understands commands in both Dutch and English. She and Lee have trained together for a year, and Raven received special training in apprehension, tracking and narcotics detection.
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The narcotics detection training was recently put to the test when Raven was able to alert on a parcel where investigators found a pound of marijuana.
Lee said choosing to work as a K9 handler was difficult, saying she was apprehensive about the danger that Raven might face on duty. But she said Raven's training has been reassuring. Because Raven is considered an independent officer, Lee can respond to calls with just her K9 as a backup.
The team works 12-hour shifts, and Lee stops at least six times to let Raven out so she can stretch her legs and play. When off duty, Raven gets to be a normal dog and chase her tail instead of criminals.