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K9 Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

$15 - $17.75/hr

The Security K9 Officer is responsible for the protection and safety of employees, patients, and visitors while on hospital property. A Healthcare Security K9 Officer plays a crucial role in ...

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K9 Handler

Longmont, CO · On-site

$25 - $35/hr

K9 Security Handler (Construction Patrol) Byers K9 Services | Longmont, Colorado Starting Pay: $25.00 per hour (DOE) Job Type: Full-Time / Overnight Location: Longmont, CO About the Position Official ...

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K9 Handler

Longmont, CO · On-site

$25 - $35/hr

K9 Security Handler (Construction Patrol) Byers K9 Services | Longmont, Colorado Starting Pay: $25.00 per hour (DOE) Job Type: Full-Time / Overnight Location: Longmont, CO About the Position Official ...

Work may include assignments such as canine (K9) patrol, animal control work, or as a school resource officer in public schools. Employees in this class exercise visible presence in the community to ...

Security Police Officer - K9

Orlando, FL · On-site

$14.75 - $18.75/hr

Summary Chenega & NASA are seeking a Security Police Officer/K9 Handler in Titusville, Florida to provide armed security, law enforcement support, emergency response, access control, and K9 ...

K9 - works with a canine partner in the execution of their duties; assumes responsibility for the ... Field Training Officer - supervises and evaluates new police officers by conducting training in the ...

At the Chief's discretion, police officers may be assigned to work as a patrol officer, detective, narcotic/vice officer, officer in charge, K9 officer, School Resource Officer, or any other position ...

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K9 Officer information

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$8

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$69

How much do k9 officer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average hourly pay for k9 officer in the United States is $25.86, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.70 and $29.33 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a K9 officer?

K9 Officers are law enforcement professionals who work closely with specially trained police dogs, known as K9s, to perform a variety of duties. These officers and their canine partners assist in tasks such as detecting drugs, explosives, finding missing persons, and apprehending suspects. The dogs are trained to use their keen sense of smell and agility to support police work and enhance public safety. K9 Officers are responsible for the care, training, and well-being of their dogs, forming a strong bond with them to operate effectively as a team.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a K9 officer?

To thrive as a K9 Officer, you need law enforcement training, canine handling skills, and usually a police academy certification. Familiarity with canine training techniques, scent detection tools, and radio communication systems is typically required. Strong teamwork, patience, and clear communication are crucial soft skills for building trust with your canine partner and collaborating with colleagues. These abilities are vital for ensuring effective public safety operations, successful investigations, and positive police-canine relationships.

What are some common challenges K9 officers face when working with their canine partners?

K9 Officers often encounter challenges related to maintaining a strong bond and effective communication with their canine partners. Building trust takes time and requires consistent training, patience, and understanding of the dog's behavior. Additionally, K9 Officers must ensure their canine partners are well-socialized and able to perform in high-stress or distracting environments, which can be demanding. Balancing the dog's well-being with operational demands is essential for both successful outcomes and the long-term health of the animal.

What is the difference between K9 Officer vs Police Officer?

AspectK9 OfficerPolice Officer
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma, police academy, K9 handling certificationHigh school diploma, police academy
Work EnvironmentPatrols, training with K9 units, crime scene searchesPatrol, investigations, community engagement
Employer & IndustryLaw enforcement agencies, specialized K9 unitsLaw enforcement agencies, general policing

While both K9 Officers and Police Officers work in law enforcement, K9 Officers specialize in handling police dogs for searches, tracking, and suspect apprehension. Police Officers perform broader duties like patrol, investigations, and community policing. K9 Officers require specific K9 handling certifications, whereas Police Officers focus on general law enforcement training. Both roles are essential in maintaining public safety but differ in their focus and daily responsibilities.

Do K9 officers get paid?

K9 officers are law enforcement personnel who typically receive a salary similar to other police officers. Their pay depends on the department, experience, and location, and they often receive additional compensation for specialized training and duties involving working with police dogs.

How do you become a K9 officer?

To become a K9 officer, candidates typically need to be law enforcement officers first, then undergo specialized training in police dog handling, obedience, and detection skills. Certification programs and ongoing training are often required to maintain proficiency, and physical fitness is important for working with service dogs in various environments.

How hard is it to be a K9 officer?

Becoming a K9 officer requires completing law enforcement training, passing physical and psychological tests, and gaining experience as a police officer. It also involves specialized training in handling and working with police dogs, which can take several months to a year. The role demands physical fitness, strong communication skills, and dedication to ongoing training and teamwork.
More about K9 Officer jobs

What cities are hiring for K9 Officer jobs?

Cities with the most K9 Officer job openings:

What states have the most K9 Officer jobs?

States with the most job openings for K9 Officer jobs include:

Infographic showing various K9 Officer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $53,799 per year, or $25.9 per hour.

K.9 Handler Security Officer

Salt Lake City, UT • On-site


Intermountain Healthcare

7.2

Company rating: 7.2 out of 10

Based on 845 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

345th of 893 rated healthcare providers

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Recommended by students


$15.50 - $18.50/hr

Other

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

Security K9 Officer

The Security K9 Officer is responsible for the protection and safety of employees, patients, and visitors while on hospital property. A Healthcare Security K9 Officer plays a crucial role in maintaining safety and security within healthcare facilities.

Essential Functions
  • Routine Rounds and Response: Performs routine rounds on the interior and exterior of the facility, including parking areas. Responds promptly to dispatch calls, performs scene assessments, gathers relevant information, resolves conflicts, and completes appropriate documentation.
  • Patrol and Surveillance: Conducts routine patrols of the healthcare facility with a trained K9 to deter and detect suspicious activities.
  • Incident Response: Responds to alarms and security-related incidents, utilizing the K9 for search and detection of illegal substances, explosives, or contraband.
  • Search and Rescue: Assists in search and rescue missions within the facility, especially in cases of missing persons or emergency evacuations.
  • Public Safety: Ensures the safety of patients, staff, and visitors by monitoring for potential threats and taking appropriate action.
  • Training and Care: Trains and cares for the K9, ensuring its health, fitness, and skills are maintained at optimum levels.
  • Documentation: Documents and reports all incidents and irregularities to superiors, maintaining accurate records of K9 activities and health and maintaining training logs weekly.
  • Customer Assistance: Provides directions and information to patients, visitors, employees, and volunteers while in the facility or on rounds.
  • Incident Investigation and Reporting: Investigates incidents and writes detailed reports.
  • K9 Program Support: Maintains crowd control with canine, patrols hospital, conducts drug searches, ensures a minimum of 250 hours of annual training for the canine, and is responsible for the total care and maintenance of the canine.
  • Specialized Investigations: Conducts detailed investigations of complex cases, including controlled substance/drug irregularities, interviews individuals, and liaises with Internal Audit, police, and DEA as appropriate.
  • Training and Professional Standards: Participates in mandatory training and certifications at hire, weekly, and annually. Performs all functions according to established policies, procedures, regulatory and accreditation requirements, and professional standards. Provides excellent service to all customers of Intermountain Health.
  • Obedience Training: Teaching the dog to comply with commands or signals from the handler
  • Behavior Modification: Using techniques and strategies to encourage desired behaviors and discourage unwanted ones.
  • Canine First Aid: Provides medical care to the K9 in case of injury or illness.
  • Positive Reinforcement: Rewards good behavior with treats, praise, or playtime to reinforce learning.
Skills
  • Compassion
  • Communication
  • Safety Security
  • Leadership
  • Workplace Violence Prevention
  • Direct Care
  • Team Management
  • Oral Communications
  • Security Operations
  • Integrity
  • K9 obedience training
  • K9 behavior modification
  • K9 handling
Qualifications
  • Must have and maintain a valid Driver's License.
  • Current Basic Life Support Certification (BLS) for healthcare providers or willing to obtain within 90 days of hire.
  • Demonstrated previous experience as a K9 handler or in a similar security role is highly desirable.
  • Completion of K9 handler training and certification through National Police Canine Association (NPCA) within 90 days.
  • Must have strong interpersonal skills, especially in deescalating strong emotional situations as well as Excellent animal handling skills, strong observational abilities, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.
  • Demonstrates effective communication skills both verbally and in writing.
Housing Requirements:
  • Providing a suitable living environment for the K9 is essential for its health, happiness, and performance in its security duties. Home inspections will be conducted to ensure adequate indoor living conditions and outdoor space to provide a safe and controlled environment for the dog to exercise, play, and train.
  • A critical aspect of a K9 officer's qualifications includes ensuring appropriate housing, shelter, and space for their canine partner. This not only affects the K9's well-being but also their performance in the field. Providing adequate space allows for bonding and better success with their training, ultimately enhancing their effectiveness in law enforcement duties
Physical Requirements
  • Ongoing need for employee to see and read information, labels, monitors, identify equipment and supplies, and be able to assess customer needs.
  • Frequent interactions with customers require employees to communicate as well as understand spoken information, alarms, needs, and issues quickly and accurately.
  • Manual dexterity of hands and fingers to manipulate complex and delicate equipment with precision and accuracy.
  • Expected to lift and utilize full range of movement to transport, pull, and push equipment. Will also work on hands and knees and bend to set-up, troubleshoot, lift, and carry supplies and equipment. Typically includes items of varying weights, up to and including heavy items.
  • For roles requiring driving: Expected to drive a vehicle which requires sitting, seeing and reading signs, traffic signals, and other vehicles.
Location:

Intermountain Health Intermountain Medical Center

Work City: Murray

Work State: Utah

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

The hourly range for this position is listed below. Actual hourly rate dependent upon experience.

$25.39 - $40.00

We care about your well-being – mind, body, and spirit – which is why we provide our caregivers a generous benefits package that covers a wide range of programs to foster a sustainable culture of wellness that encompasses living healthy, happy, secure, connected, and engaged.

Learn more about our comprehensive benefits package here.

By applying for a position with Intermountain, I acknowledge that I will comply with all applicable Intermountain policies and expectations. If applying for a remote or hybrid role, this includes remote work expectations related to confidentiality, information security, work schedules, conflicts of interest, and use of company equipment. I further acknowledge that outside employment or activities may not interfere with job responsibilities or create a conflict of interest with Intermountain. Actual or reasonably perceived conflicts may be grounds for disqualification from consideration or, if hired, corrective action up to and including termination of employment.

Intermountain Health is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

At Intermountain Health, we use the artificial intelligence ("AI") platform, HiredScore to improve your job application experience. HiredScore helps match your skills and experiences to the best jobs for you. While HiredScore assists in reviewing applications, all final decisions are made by Intermountain personnel to ensure fairness. We protect your privacy and follow strict data protection rules. Your information is safe and used only for recruitment. Thank you for considering a career with us and experiencing our AI-enhanced recruitment process.

All positions subject to close without notice.


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