Helping A Canine Hero Do His Job

This 8-year-old has been with the Tribal Police for six years and is certified through the National Canine Association & ATF in Explosive Detection.

Although Bentley’s primary territory is on the Yavapai-Prescott Indian Reservation, the approximately 1,400 acres that are adjacent to the city of Prescott in central Yavapai County, he travels within the state as needed, such as on select detection duties at the resort, which is owned by the Yavapai Tribe.

Traveling around in police vehicles can be hot and sweaty work in the summer and a nippy-cold job in the winter.

Recently, helpers for Bentley appeared in the form of the Republican Women of Prescott (RWOP), who donated $8,500 to the department to refurbish a Ram pick-up truck with a K-9 insert and heat alarm system to make Bentley’s assignment more comfortable and safe.

“Tribal Police submitted a letter that was brought before membership, and they approved the donation,” said RWOP President Sue Davis. “The backseat is removed and a platform for the canine is installed, which includes a cellular thermostat sensor.”

The dog often stays in the truck when an officer leaves the vehicle to attend a meeting or other business. “If it gets too cold or too hot, the handler gets an alert,” she noted.

When Bentley is not on patrol in his specialized Ram truck, he lives in the home of his handler, a master K-9 handler who will not be named here.

The members of RWOP first met Bentley on the job. “Bentley is not undercover,” Davis said. “He is basically a ‘bomb’ dog. The resort is tribal. Bentley goes whenever they call him to go in Yavapai County.”

Bentley reports for duty at many Republican events as well, most notably at the club’s monthly luncheon meetings with a sold-out crowd of 450 at the Prescott Resort, where celebrity, political and many dignitary speakers attended to help meet the club’s mission of politically informing and educating its membership.

“The Tribal Police are always in attendance during our luncheons and Bentley performs a security ‘sweep’ of the banquet area as well as public areas within the Prescott Resort,” Davis explained. “The Tribal Police are always there to support and maintain complete safety for our speakers and members. The Tribal Police and Bentley give us great peace of mind with their presence.”

Davis is serving in her first year as president of RWOP, which was founded in 1942 and is the largest Republican women’s club in the nation. “In 2024, we have 1,032 members, the largest in the country,” she said. “We do so many nice things that go unnoticed. People think we just meet, that we’re a lunch bunch. That’s so not true. We’re very active in the community.”

Davis has been in the club for seven years and served two years in the fundraising arm of the organization. “In those two years, we raised over $65,000. It was just doing something small every month, trying to give back to the community.”

Annually, the club produces three dedicated luncheons to raise funds and honor law enforcement in May, first responders in June and veterans in November. Honorees are recognized for their achievements and presented with a small gift and certificate.

As with most RWOP public events, attendance at these dedicated events regularly reaches the resort occupancy at 450 guests. The largest annual event hosted by RWOP is the Main Event, a major fundraiser for scholarships for high school students in the Quad Cities region, who are registered for college or trade schools.

The Main Event funded the scholarship program, with $20,000 granted to high school seniors in 2024.

“For speakers this year, we had Riley Gaines, who lost her college title in swimming to a transgender male, and Kyle Mann, editor of Babylon Bee,” said Davis.

The campaign season was particularly busy for the club and every candidate who was available addressed the RWOP members. “Hopefully next year we will be a lot more active, working in schools and colleges and with the Young Republicans.”

Community outreach efforts include a Rehab Facility Tea, school coat drives for adults and children and food drives. Fundraising this year was a tea and fashion show, a soup cook-off, raffle baskets and 50/50 drawings. “We’ve done a bit of everything while fundraising.” QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

Courtesy Photo: Republican Women of Prescott make sure Bentley, the explosive-sniffing Labrador retriever member of the Tribal Police Department, is safe and comfortable as he rides to his assignments.