K.O.P.S. (K-9 On Patrol Services) is one of the largest providers of law enforcement, working dogs in the Caribbean.

Our trainers have over 100 years of combined experience in the dog training field. With two training facilities, one in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and one in Jacksonville, Florida. These locations allow us to train officers and dogs to be deployed in close proximity to their respective Islands.

As we are from the Caribbean we understand the challenges, Law Enforcement Agencies face in regard to up keep training. K.O.P.S., K-9 Maintenance Training Program provides for the continuous training of our Caribbean dogs at their location every 6-8 weeks, with one of our training staff members. This insures the investment made by each individual department is maintained to the highest standards. For more information about any of our services contact us at 352 552-4855.

Training provided In the following areas:

• Single Purpose Dogs

• Dual Purpose Dogs

• Bomb Dogs

• Narcotic Dogs

• Cash Detection Dogs

• Firearm & Ammunition Detector Dogs

• Cell Phone Detector Dogs

• Cadaver Dogs

• Search and Rescue Dogs

• All dog sales include the certification of officers in their respective K-9 fields.

Train Daily

Maintenance Up Keep Training,

It’s the key for us

Paris Nicholson III

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Nicholson has been involved in the law enforcement and security industries for the past 38 years. As a member and Head Trainer of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Police Department, K9 Unit he oversaw the training of officers in Criminal Apprehension, Narcotics and Explosive Detection.

In 1989 Mr. Nicholson started his own security guard agency in the U.S.Virgin Islands growing the business to employ over 350 armed and unarmed security personnel, private investigations and armored car services.

In 2000 he built owned and operated the Virgin Islands first indoor shooting range and training academy catering to Federal and Local Law Enforcement Agencies. Mr. Nicholson received certification from the Detroit Police Department in the areas of Narcotic and Explosive detection. He is licensed by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and maintains various firearm and explosive licenses.

Past and present client list includes U.S. Customs & Border Protection, U.S. Virgin Islands Police Department, British Virgin Islands Customs Department, Turks & Caicos Customs Department, Turks and Caicos Police Department, Anguilla Customs Department, St. Kitts Police Department, Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, Jamaica Defense Force, Carnival Cruise Lines and The U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Paris Nicholson IV

Vice President - Training

Paris Nicholson IV has been training dogs for over 25 years. With a heavy emphasis on single and dual purpose detection dogs, Paris IV has trained over 200 dogs during his career. He also conducts regular up keep maintenance training of all dogs sold to our Caribbean Law Enforcement clients. He travels to clients locations throughout the Caribbean to conduct regular K-9 maintenance training. Paris learned the trade, working at his family’s dog training business in the U.S. Virgin Islands and served as a field supervisor and operations manager of the company’s K-9 division. Paris IV performed years of pipeline leak detection services throughout the U.S. and Canada and is considered an expert in the field.

At 18 years of age, Paris became the youngest graduate of the Smith & Wesson Training Academy, certified as a Firearm Instructor. He is also a certified Trainer/Handler of Narcotic, Explosives, & Firearm/Ammunition, Detector Dogs and is certified by the FBI in K9 Detection on Liquid Explosives.

Paris consistently uses his expertise to create new, innovative options to leverage K-9 use for all Caribbean Law Enforcement agencies.

Chuck Pipkin

Head Trainer

Chuck Pipkin has been involved in the Law Enforcement industry for over 20+ years, 16 as an officer and K9 handler. He was a member and Trainer of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s department, K-9 Unit. Chuck also has extensive training with firearms including: range master, armor, less lethal and taser instructor.  

In 2015 Chuck retired from the Sheriff’s department. He was hired by a large police dog vender from Southern California as a trainer for law enforcement canine teams in northern California, southern Oregon and Nevada.  

Also during that time Chuck and his wife of 30+ yrs opened their own training facility in northern California that included Foundation First K9 and a non-profit organization called Post Traumatic Service Dogs. 

To this day the two companies listed are providing police service dogs to agencies both in the United States as well as over overseas. The non-profit has trained and placed several personal services dogs to people suffering with PTSD and TBI to assist with everyday tasked they are unable to accomplish on their own.

In 2017 Chuck and his family relocated their training facility to Jacksonville Florida and continued training at the new facility that includes: 6.5 acres of fenced secure property, including a 10 dog indoor/outdoor kennel, indoor training facility.  The facility has an odor detection wall and scent boxes for both narcotics and explosive detection training. Access to vehicles for detection as well as patrol dog training, 3 acres dedicated to tracking, area searches and search and rescue training. 

In 2018 Chuck joined with Paris Nicholson III and the KOPS staff. He has been tasked with training dogs and handlers in all the protection aspects of the dual purpose canine teams. This includes safety and fist aid, equipment use and care, canine decoy work and tactical canine deployment. Chuck also travels to the Caribbean to conduct regularly scheduled K-9 maintenance training.

Chuck was a dual purpose dog handler so he has extensive knowledge in the odor detection side of the canine team as well.  

Chuck is also a member of:

• California Police Officer’s Standards of Training (POST) canine trainer/evaluator

• Protection Sports Association (PSA)

• US Schutzhund association (USSA)   

Cameron Ford

K-9 Consultant/Trainer

Cameron Ford has been in K-9 for 24 years. In 1995 first serving the U.S. Air Force as a Military Working Dog Handler. Working Bomb/Patrol and Drug Patrol dogs. During his years of service in Germany, Cameron is one of very few American’s ever to attend the German Polizei working dog school in Eckenbach Germany. Cameron also attended training at the Dutch Politie Scent Dog School in Nunspeet Holland. 2005 to 2013 Police officer in FL and TX, worked as a K-9 handler (TX), State K9 instructor (FL), State evaluator (FL and CA), and SWAT operator (FL and TX). From 2009 to 2013 Cameron was Training Director for a Government Contractor where he oversaw the training and deployment of over 300 K-9 teams in the middle east. 2013 to 2018 Sr. Instructor / Multi-Purpose Canine for a well-known Military Special Operations program and is currently a CA POST K-9 Team Evaluator. Since 2016 Cameron has been working with Duke University on canine cognition as it relates to patrol and detection dogs. His research with Dr. Brian Hare has been ground breaking on learning how dogs understand, communicate and solve problems. Cameron has been a Guest Speaker all over the world and speaks yearly at various conferences such as HITS Police K-9, Western States Canine Assoc. Pacific Northwest Canine Assoc. Colorado Police Canine Assoc. K-9 Cop Conference and has been a contributing editor for Police K-9 Magazine and K-9 Cop Magazine. Recently, Cameron is the host and creator of the “Talking Scents” podcast. A podcast dedicated to everything about Detection Dogs.

Maureen Nicholson

Vice-President

Maureen has been involved in the training of dogs and the security industry for over 20 years. She is the lead trainer for our dog selection process and oversees our dog purchases. Maureen is a breed selection specialist for Giant Schnauzers, German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers, Dutch Shepherds and pairs those breeds to our Caribbean clients.  She coordinates all training appointments, shipping and delivery of K.O.P.S. dogs to clients.  Her vast experience and knowledge of various dog breeds adds a different level of expertise to our K-9 training program.