NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A national nonprofit stopped in Nashville this week to help train police and search and rescue dogs.

Spike’s K9 Fundorganized a three-day follow-up school, offered free of charge to participants. Members of the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, including Officer Ryan Coll and his partner K9 Diesel, participated.

“Our primary goal is to go out and apprehend these suspects who have escaped or entered the woods,” said Officer Coll.

Coll and Diesel have been a couple for about three years and have worked together for two years.

“I spend more time with this dog than I do with my wife and kids,” Coll said.

The duo were one of 15 participants in the training course on Thursday.

“This course is specifically used to help dogs become more efficient at tracking,” said Emily Grey, CEO of Spike’s K9 Fund.

It’s not just about apprehending suspects: the skills learned at tracking school also help search and rescue teams locate missing people.

“They can pick up the scent of your shoes, your clothes and follow it to a place that we could never have tracked. These dogs can smell anywhere from 30 to 50 feet underwater,” Gray said.

Click here for more information on Spike’s K9 fund.

The organization has helped train nearly 3,000 police and search and rescue dogs across the country.

Do you have more information on this story? You can email me at [email protected].

Road trip to see some of our neighbors’ best Halloween decorations

We are just a few days away from Halloween. This year, Americans are expected to spend approximately $12 billion on candy, costumes and decorations. In recent years, it seems that more and more people are devoting themselves to decorating their homes. Forrest Sanders had the chance to visit several Midstate communities to check out some of these Halloween decorations.

-Lelan Statom