Essex County OPP Has A New K9 Team

The Ontario Provincial Police has a new K9 team.

Provincial Constable Brett Holland is a 5-year veteran with the OPP, having started his policing career at the Upper Ottawa Valley detachment. K9 “Vinny” is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois originating from Belgium.

PC Holland and Vinny recently completed a 21-week K9 General Service Course and have more training planned for Narcotic and Firearm/Ammunition Detection in the near future. Vinny’s training qualifications include tracking for lost/missing and wanted persons, criminal apprehension and tactical obedience.

The team is replacing Provincial Constable Milan Matovski and K9 Maximus. Maximus retired in 2023 and now Staff Sergeant Matovski recently transferred to OPP General Headquarters in Orillia.

“Essex County OPP welcomes PC Brett Holland and his new partner Vinny and congratulates them on the completion of a very rigorous and demanding K9 Training course. As the OPP’s largest detachment in the province, having the capacity to provide K9 Services in support of our communities is invaluable, and you can expect to see Vinny on patrol with his partner throughout Essex County,” said Superintendent Mark Loucas, Detachment Commander, Essex County OPP.

The K9 Unit is a specialized unit whose timeliness to a scene is crucial, whether it be for the search of a lost or missing person, the apprehension of a criminal or detection of drugs, weapons or explosives during investigations.

PC Holland and Vinny are inseparable, for not only do they work together but go home with each other as well. The experience and discipline demonstrated by a police K9 member and his partner reflects a high degree of professionalism. With an enhanced set of skills and the adaptability to respond to a myriad of calls for service, some of which are dangerous in nature, the position of a K9 member is very demanding yet rewarding.