K9 Kim joins Hawai‘i Police Department to replace retired crime-fighting K9 Rory

A new K9 officer has joined the ranks of Hawai‘i Police Department’s Area II Vice Section.

Kim, a 2-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, specializes in sniffing out narcotics. In early March, Officer and K9 handler Stephen Kishimoto Jr. traveled to Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Ind., to select a new canine for the department. He chose K9 Kim after looking at three different dogs.

Kim was born in Hungary and brought to the United States by the training kennel, which specializes in training police dogs.

“Kim’s overall work drive stood out over the other canines,” Kishimoto said.

Kishimoto and his new K9 partner have completed an extensive 4-week training course at Vohne Liche’s 350-acre facility. She learned search patterns and how to identify and signal for specific drug odors.

“Kim’s drive to work and pleasant demeanor makes her a great canine to not only to locate illegal narcotics, but she’ll be a great canine for school and public demonstrations,” Kishimoto said. “She’ll represent HPD well.”

K9 Kim and her training were paid for by Hawai‘i branch of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program, a part of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

K9 Kim replaces K9 Rory, a 10-year-old Springer Spaniel, who retired in August 2022.

Rory has had an impressive career with Hawai‘i Police Department, helping to recover:

• 35 pounds of methamphetamine
• 2 pounds of heroin
• 3 pounds of cocaine
• 20 pounds of marijuana
• more than $500,000 in U.S. currency