Mike Swindle
AMPWDA Master Trainer
Mike has been employed by a large law enforcement agency in
Illinois for approximately 24 years and is currently assigned as an
investigator in the St. Louis Metro-East Area. Prior to beginning
his career in law enforcement, he worked in the medical field for 8
years which occasionally involved assisting with medicolegal death
investigations. Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Biology.
Mike purchased Dax, his first dog with working bloodlines in 2000.
After having the opportunity to work as a helper with a law
enforcement K9 training school in northern Illinois, he certified in
tracking, article search, human remains detection (HRD) and building
search. Mike cofounded a K9 SAR team in North Central Illinois with
others who shared a common interest in working canines. He went on
to serve approximately four (4) years as the director of training.
In 2006, Mike transferred within his law enforcement agency from
Northern Illinois to the St. Louis Metro-East Area where he is
currently assigned. In 2007, Mike completed a local law enforcement
agency’s 210 hour patrol dog academy, with Darby, a Belgian Malinois
who certified in HRD. Darby was successfully used in a number of
criminal investigations and worked under the authority of a
Coroner’s Office in Illinois. During that time, Mike was a member of
the Illinois Coroners and Medical Examiners Association and the
Illinois Homicide Investigators Association. He also served as an
investigator with the Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad through his
law enforcement agency. Darby retired in 2013 and Mike is now
training a new canine in the area of firearm detection and
mantrailing.
Mike coordinates the Forensic Canine Section of AMPWDA which
includes HRD, Evidence Detection, and Firearm Detection (new). Mike
has developed his own curriculum for teaching crime scene
preservation to non-law enforcement SAR handlers as well as a search
hazards course. Mike is also an instructor in multiple areas within
his law enforcement agency. Mike became a member of AMPWDA in 2011.
