Tarpon Springs K-9 Officer Endured Treacherous Journey

In July, Tarpon Springs Police Officer Thanh "Tommy" Nguyen graduated, along with his partner Dobies, from K-9 training at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

The four-month training was a grueling one according to Nguyen, 37, but the competition he took on before being named K-9 officer was even harsher. 

"It was a crazy tryout," Nguyen told Patch. 

The course included running, swimming, biking and even dealing with almost unbearable claustrophobic conditions.

"You have to be able to go wherever the dog goes," Nguyen explained. 

Within a week of hitting the streets of Tarpon Springs, Officer Nguyen and 16-month-old Dobies have created quite an impressive record, from apprehending a drug dealer who was hiding under a house to tracking down a handgun that was thrown into a field. 

"It's a highly specialized position and we go through an extensive process in-house to determine who the best officer for the job is," Police Chief Robert Kochen said. 

Kochen said he is extremely impressed with Nguyen's progress with Dobies. 

"They are just doing phenomenal," Kochen added.

Nguyen's energy is contagious and it is clear he takes his new role seriously. He noted "commitment" as the key ingredient to the duo's success.

Although Nguyen's life includes much of what most would consider to be "the American dream"-- a family, a home and a good job-- the sailing wasn't always as smooth as it may seem now. 

In 1990 when Nguyen was just 14 years old, he and a boatload of family members and neighbors eluded his native home in Vietnam. 

A three-day journey, which included pirates, AK-47s and near starvation, led Nguyen and his family to Thailand, where they were placed in a refugee camp. 

According to Nguyen, beds were non-existent  most of the time and the ground underneath stilt structures inside the camp became "home." 

"I remember it all like it was yesterday," Nguyen said. 

After four years in the refugee camp, Nguyen's father was cleared to enter the U.S. with his family. 

Nguyen graduated high school in 1998 from Countryside High and started school at PTEC shortly after. 

The Tarpon Springs Police gained a patrol officer in Nguyen in 2008 and he has been a part of the department ever since. 

Nguyen said he and Dobies have formed a bond that is similar to a father, son relationship. Dobies lives with Nguyen and his wife and children in his Tarpon Springs home. 

Dobies is treated like any other pet when he's at home from treats to tug-of-war games, but Nguyen said, "when it's time to go to work, he focuses." 

The training for the German shepherd pup is constant, even when he is "off the clock."

"It's like I have another kid," Nguyen said with a smile. "I have two kids of my own and now I have another boy."