DARRIN WENDLING BECAME A POLICE OFFICER IN 1990 AND IS CURRENTLY WORKING FOR A REGIONAL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH POLICE DOGS SINCE 1997 AND HAS BEEN HANDLING A DOG SINCE 1998. HE IS CURRENTLY A TEAM SGT. HANDLING HIS SECOND DUAL-PURPOSE PATROL / NARCOTICS DOG. DURING THAT TIME HE HAS WORKED WITH VARIOUS LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. HE IS ALSO A REGIONAL ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR FOR A COUNTY NARCOTICS TASK FORCE, WHERE HE HAS PARTICIPATED IN ALL ASPECTS OF NARCOTICS INVESTIGATIONS.

PRIOR TO BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER HE SERVED FOUR YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. DURING HIS ACTIVE DUTY HE WAS ASSIGNED TO A MARINE BARRACKS (SECURITY FORCES) OVERSEAS, WHERE HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MARINE DETACHMENT EMERGENCY REACTIONARY TEAM. AFTER COMPLETING HIS TOUR WITH SECURITY FORCES HE WAS REASSIGNED TO THE INFANTRY. HE SERVED THE REMAINING TWO YEARS ASSIGNED TO THE 1st MAR DIV, BASED OUT OF CAMP PENDELTON CA. WHILE IN THE INFANTRY HE WAS A FIRE TEAM AND SQUAD LEADER.