About Us
Law Enforcement Canine Handlers and Trainers from across the United State came together for the common interest of creating practical standards for Law Enforcement Canine Teams and furthering the training of Canine Teams with the common goal of providing the best possible Law Enforcement Canine service to their communities. The Eastern Police Canine Association, Inc., (EPCA) founding members were Gary Harvey from Virginia, David Smith and Duane Shaffer from New York, Joe Collins from New Hampshire and John Reynolds from Alabama in 1994 as a private non-profit independent association. John and Joe eventually moved on to other endeavors and were replaced by John Vanek from New York filling out the Board of Directors. Later Anthony Patricola and Vanja Mikelic from New York and Mike Page from Pennsylvania were nominated and accepted to the Board of Directors.
6/13/22 Officers
President Duane Shaffer
Vice President Anthony Patricola
Treasure Edward McCulskey
Secretary John "Larry" Vanek
The EPCA is funded by membership fees and private donations. These funds are used to purchase Canines and training equipment. At host seminars, EPCA Licensed Trainers conduct training in various deployment profiles as well as testing of Canine Teams to include but are not limited to Protection, Tracking and Trailing, Search and Rescue, Scent Detection for Accelerants, Evidence Recovery, Explosives, Human Remains, and Narcotics. The EPCA has progressive degrees of certifications testing available and encourage its members to continue to advance. EPCA is ever evolving to ensure that our members are accountable to be giving their best back to their communities.
Membership is open to all police officers, police K-9 Unit members, trainers, or any duly-authorized and sponsored persons regardless of location. The membership fee is $50.00 per year per member which includes testing for certification no same seminar retesting if failed. Membership application forms are available in the membership section of this site.
EPCA Goals
TO PROVIDE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ALL DOGS
TO PROMOTE USE OF WORKING POLICE DOGS FOR POLICE SERVICE CANINES AND RELATED USES
TO DEMONSTRATE THE ADVANTAGES OF POLICE SERVICE CANINE TRAINING
TO SUPPORT AND ORGANIZE TRIALS FOR POLICE SERVICE CANINES
TO SUPPORT THE USE OF CANINES BY ALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS
TO GENERATE INTEREST AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC CONCERNING POLICE SERVICE CANINES.
TO PROMOTE AND MAINTAIN THE UNIFORM STANDARDS FOR POLICE SERVICE CANINES
TO PROMOTE AND PRACTICE SAFE CANINE PROCEDURES FOR THE OFFICER, PUBLIC, AND CANINES
Friday June 16. 2023 was the end of the 2023 Advanced Handlers Training Seminar. The Association trainers and examiners would like to congratulate the the following teams for their successes:
Officer L. Vanek and K9 Rhoda of the Owego Police Dept. for passing NYS Tracking certification, NYS Narcotics certification, and Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in tracking and Narcotics Dog I.
Officer A. Pike and K 9 Maggie of the Owego Police Dept. for passing Eastern Police Canine Association Narcotics Dog I.
Sgt. R. McCulskey and K9 Sig of the Owego Police Department for successfully recertifying as Police Narcotics Dog II.
Officer R. Terry and K9 Riggs of the Sidney Police Department for passing NYS and Eastern Police Canine certifications in Narcotics Detection.
Officer KT Ray Smith and K9 Reign Vestal Police Department for successfully passing Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in Tracking and Narcotics Dog I.
Officer S. Stelmak and K9 Attyro of the Scranton Police Dept. for passing Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in Tracking and Bomb Dog II.
Officer D. Coakley and K9 Red of the State University Police- Cortland for successfully passing Eastern Police Canine Association Bomb Dog II.
Deputy M. Montesano and K9 Laker of the Tompkins County Sheriffs Dept. for completing NYS and Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in Explosive Detection, Tracking, and Article Search.
Sgt. J. Haines and K9 Luna of the Cornell University Police for completing NYS and Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in Explosive Detection, Tracking, and Article Search.
Sgt, K. Hollenbeck and K9 Axel of the Cornell University Police for successfully passing NYS and Eastern Police Canine Association certifications in Explosive Detection, Tracking, and Article Search.
Paramedic Sonya Bement and K9 Max Owego Police Department Critical Incident Therapy Dog