Washington State Patrol Trooper Benjamin Bryan and his K9 partner Kyha will be based in Hoquiam as the newest part of the K9 narcotics team for the district after wrapping up nine weeks of K9 handler training at the State Patrol academy in Shelton.

Kyha is a 1-year-old German shepherd. The dog and handler team graduated the academy and followed up that with a week-long K9 coaching trip in Grays Harbor and Mason counties.

The team will work alongside Trooper Rodney Green and his K9 partner Max, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois/German shepherd mix, based in Bremerton in State Patrol District 8, which covers Grays Harbor, Pacific, Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason and Wahkiakum counties.

“While the K9 teams are based in Hoquiam and Bremerton, they will be seen working throughout District 8 as needed,” said Trooper Chelsea A. Hodgson.

COURTESY PHOTO There’s a new narcotics team in town. State Trooper Benjamin Bryan and his K9 partner Kyha just graduated nine weeks of training at the State Patrol academy in Shelton and will now be based in Hoquiam.

COURTESY PHOTO State Trooper Benjamin Bryan and his 1-year-old K9 officer Kyha, a German shepherd, have become the newest narcotics K9 team in the region.