Officer Andrea Fetzer (Alameda Police Department K9 Handler) + Ace the K9
She’s a former lawyer, personal trainer, and now one of Alameda’s finest — with a German Shepherd partner who sniffs out guns, ammo, and shell casings. This episode pulls back the curtain on canine policing, community trust, and the very real bond between handler and dog.
Summary
In this fascinating, funny, and unexpectedly tender conversation, Siobhan and Ana welcome Officer Andrea Fetzer of the Alameda Police Department, a former lawyer and longtime personal trainer who found her way into law enforcement later in life. Alongside her is Ace, Alameda’s only single-purpose firearms and tracking detection dog, trained to locate guns, ammunition, shell casings, and missing persons. not bite suspects.
Officer Fetzer walks us through what it actually takes to become a canine handler, from bonding with a dog flown in from overseas to years of ongoing training, strict policies, and learning how to read the smallest shifts in a dog’s body language. We talk about how Ace is trained using toy-based reward systems, why firearms detection is very different from narcotics work, and how canine presence alone can de-escalate tense situations without force.
The conversation goes beyond policing into humanity. navigating public perception, showing up for people on the worst days of their lives, raising a family alongside a working dog, and using calm, communication, and empathy as frontline tools. It’s equal parts educational, heart-opening, and surprisingly joyful, with plenty of laughs, squirrel moments, and Ace love along the way.
Officer Andrea Fetzer
Officer Andrea Fetzer is a patrol officer with the Alameda Police Department and the handler for Ace, the department’s firearms and tracking detection canine. She holds a law degree, a background in psychology, and spent over a decade as a personal trainer before entering law enforcement. Andrea is deeply committed to community engagement, de-escalation, and responsible canine policing.
Resources & Mentions
Community policing initiatives
💡 Key Takeaways
Police dogs are highly specialized, not generalists
Firearms detection relies on oils, metals, and residue, not bullets alone
Canine presence can prevent force, not escalate it
Trust and calm communication are essential policing tools
Working dogs are still dogs — playful, sensitive, and bonded
“Once the vest goes on, the dog knows it’s work time.”
~ Officer Fetzer