Ken Mathias
OUR TRAINERS
Orchard Knoll K9 has assembled a world class team of expert K-9 trainers. With over 150 years of combined experience, Orchard Knoll K9 provides trainers with experience in all aspects of training. Our trainers have been recognized in both State and Federal Courts as experts in K9 training and use. Additionally, they have been certified by independent and court recognized certifying bodies including the United States Police Canine Association, International Police Working Dog Association and FEMA. All have competed in regional certification trials and in national trials in both USPCA and IPWDA as well as other organizations. Ken has won the USPCA National Championship as TOP Cadaver Dog at the USPCA National Detector Dog Trials.
Additionally, our trainers have provided training to both law enforcement agencies and search and rescue groups across the Unite States. Ken has also provided k9 training to international military and law enforcement units around the globe.
Orchard Knoll K9 is proud of the quality, expertise and experience of our training team and looks forward to proving training to your personnel.
Orchard Knoll K9 was started in 1983 by Ken Mathias. Ken was with the Raleigh Police Department and started Raleigh Polices K-9 Program. Ken’s original donated dog failed on the street prompting Ken to sell his truck and purchase “Juno” a Belgian Malinois imported by Gerry Lapham from Germany. “Juno” became the first Malinois in the United States to achieve the United States Police Canine Associations PD1, PD2 and Detector Dog certification. Ken continued to import dogs from Europe for Police Departments across the United States providing over 5000 top quality dogs for police service. Ken continued with the Raleigh Police Department rising through the ranks across multiple divisions until retirement at the rank of Division Commander (Major). Ken’s experience included 25 years as a member of the Bomb Squad handling Bomb Dogs, Selective Enforcement Unit (SWAT) Operator w/ K-9, Special Operations Division Captain, District Commander and Detective Division Commander. Ken has been featured on several television series including The Prosecutors Series and New Detectives series.
After retirement from the Raleigh Police Department Ken immediately joined the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation where he graduated for the SBI Academy achieving top honors receiving the Director’s Award. Ken revamped the SBI’s K-9 program from three dogs to 24 specialized detector dogs including Accelerant Detection Dogs, Human Remains (Cadaver) Detector Dogs, Drug Detector Dogs, Explosive Detector Dogs, Electronic Media Detector Dogs and Remote Handled (camera surveillance) Dogs.
Due to Ken’s 42-year active police service career he has conducted bomb sweeps for US Presidents Carter, Reagan, G.H.W. Bush, Clinton, G.W. Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden. This is an honor few if any can claim!
Ken retired from the SBI on February 1, 2021 and now devotes all of his time and energy to Orchard Knoll K-9 traveling to Europe to hand select top quality police service dog candidates to provide dogs and training to law enforcement agencies worldwide. Ken has conducted training classes exceeding the United States Police Canine Association national standard since retiring.
Ken is a United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) nationally certified trainer, regional Judge, National Judge and Chief Judge. Ken won the 2017 USPCA National Detector Dog Trials with his cadaver dog “Bart”. Ken has competed and certified eleven (11) dogs in his law enforcement career in patrol, narcotics detection, explosives detection, tracking, tracking dog excellent and cadaver detector dog. Ken was USPCA National Champion in 2017 in Cadaver Dog Detection.
Ken has trained in excess of 200 dogs over his career that have been certified by organizations including USPCA, IPWDA, NAPWDA, NADA, AKC as well as other state related organizations.
Ken provides specialized law enforcement service dog training across the United States and Internationally as well.
Ken and his wife Angela are active in search and rescue training with their two Malinois’s “Rizzo”, “Otis”