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Manteca Police canine trials set for April 28
CANINE1
Seven Manteca police officers stand with their canine partners as they prepare for the 42nd annual K-9 competition set for April 28 at Morenzone Field adjacent to the Manteca Municipal Golf Course. Officers from left are Bryan Elness with drug dog Kona, Richard Smigelski with Kato, Randy Chiek with Dagger in the patrol car, Eddie Cardenas standing with Volcor, Jason Massey with Max, Will Mueller and Bear, and Bob Anderson with Hass. - photo by GLENN KAHL

The community is being invited to the 42nd Annual Manteca Police K-9 Competition to see the “best of the best” as they sniff, stalk and bite.

Officers Eddie Cardenas, Richard Smigelski, and Jason Massey will be competing with officers from throughout the north state and beyond in the protection phase of the contest on Saturday, April 28.

Officers Mike Kelly and Bob Anderson are entered in the narcotics detection portion of the event on Friday that is not open to the public.

The event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Morenzone Field located next to the golf course near the intersection with the 200 block of North Union Road. Officer Bob Anderson said he hopes members of the public will come out and get a hot dog, do a little shopping and buy a souvenir T-shirt from one of the onsite vendors.

Anderson said that no pets will be allowed at the competition due to the nature of the canine event where the search phase is scheduled to be held from 8 to 9 a.m. with the obedience and agility competitions set from 9 a.m. until 11. The protection competition is on tap from noon until 4 p.m.

Five officers will be competing in the Stockton canine trials set for this weekend. They are involved in the exercises for the good of the department on their own time.