COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — In this edition of the Morning Lift, 3 News Now's Zach Williamson picks up Iowa State Patrol K9 Handler Matt Raes.
Trooper Raes is approaching ten years of service with ISP, and has worked with his police service dog, Pape, for about four years. He is one of seven troopers in the Iowa State Patrol's Police Service Dog (PSD) Unit. He serves Area B, which covers western Iowa from the Minnesota border to the Missouri Border, and stretching out to Des Moines. The ISP is an assisting agency, which means Raes and Pape can be called in at anytime by the ISP or any law enforcement agency in Area B that needs it.
Raes says he has the best job in the world because he gets to bring his dog with him to work everyday. For Pape, it's not work. Raes says that 'work' is Pape's pride and joy. Pape is trained to provide several services — including narcotics detection, apprehension, tracking, and evidence recovery. Raes named Pape after Oran Pape — the first patrolman in the state to die in the line of duty.
The ISP trains its police service dogs in Grand Island alongside the Nebraska State Patrol. This opened the door for a very unique opportunity for Raes. His brother, Justin Raes, was a K9 handler with the NSP (moved to the Criminal Division as an investigator in June) and was able to help Matt during his 16-week camp.
Raes tells us drag racing and dangerous speeding is one of his biggest concerns right now. He said it is typical to find multiple people going more than 110 miles per hour every weekend.
To help curb misconceptions with law enforcement, Raes likes to read to elementary students. This pat winter he read to more than 65 classes across Council Bluffs, Omaha, and Greenfield, Iowa. Of course, Pape joins him.
Raes grew up in Council Bluffs and has been best friends with Zach Williamson since kindergarten, and was the best man in his wedding last June.
