Tony Keith
AMPWDA Master Trainer - Academy Director
Tony's professional experience as a K9 Handler began in 1991 with the Indiana Department of Correction. He has attended numerous workshops and seminars put on by agencies such as the North American Police and Work Dog Association. In 1994, Tony was promoted to Field Specialist for Emergency Response Operations within the Indiana Department of Correction. This move made him responsible for training all emergency teams for the Indiana Department of Correction specializing in K9 Training, Man-tracking, Trailing and Team building. Since 1991, He has been active in more than four hundred (400) actual manhunts. He has trained with, responded to, and searched for lost children, lost elderly, Alzheimer's patients, lost hunters, accident victims, fleeing felons, jail and prison escapees.
In 1994 Tony held the title of Expert Trailing Team with K9 Chance, in the North American Police and Work Dog Association. Since that time he has held the title of Distinguished Expert Trailing Team 4 different times with 4 different dogs with the International Police and Work Dog Association. Tony has continued his training and education completing Train the Trainer certification in 1994, as well as holding the level of Master Trainer with the International Police and Work Dog Association since 1999.
Tony has twice received the coveted Award of Merit from the International Police and Work Dog Association as well as served as a Master trainer for the International Police and Work Dog Association National Conferences, specializing in the areas of Manhunts, and Scouting, searching for Fleeing Felons, Missing Persons, Team Building, and Emergencies for outside Law Enforcement.
Tony surrounds himself with some of the best in the business. Many of the personnel trained by Tony have gone on to hold distinguished professional careers and promotions with in the Department of Correction, Indiana State Police, private business, and other agencies. Because of Tony's expertise he has also had the opportunity to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana Department of Correction, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana State Police, the International Police Work Dog Association, Louisiana State Penitentiary Angola, the North American Police Work Dog Association, The United States Marshall Service, several city and county Police Departments, as well as several volunteer fire departments, and search and rescue teams.
