Pismo Beach police dog Kylo is South County’s go-to furry apprehender

When law enforcement officers in southern San Luis Obispo County need heightened senses to help with missions, they turn to the 4-year-old German shepherd who works for the Pismo Beach Police Department.

Born in Central Europe, police dog Kylo is one half of the beach town’s K-9 unit. Sniffing out and apprehending culprits is his primary purpose. Kylo’s handler, Officer Matt Downs, said the canine is in the process of getting certified for narcotics detection.

“He goes home with me every night; he’s my responsibility,” Downs said. “He has his own section of the yard where he has his dog run and his kennel.”

Kylo and Downs teamed up in 2024 after the Police Department purchased the dog from Adelhorst International, a police service dog provider and canine training facility in Jurupa Valley, California. 

Together, they’re the only K-9 program in South County. Farther north, the Atascadero and Cal Poly police departments and the SLO County Sheriff’s Office have police dogs.

Being a police dog is hard work. Downs said Kylo isn’t as “domesticated” as other pets, like the mini goldendoodle that also lives with his handler. His purpose as a service dog is drilled into him.

“He’s very spoiled at home but the whole aspect is to make work fun and wanting him to go to work,” Downs said. “He’s not in the house, he’s not sleeping in our bed, or socializing with other dogs. Home is to relax and get his rest because the next day [at work] could be busy for him.”

Downs and Kylo must train for a minimum of 20 hours per month, not including on-duty time. That means spending their off time honing skills like locating decoys and taking part in vehicle, building, and free-run deployments.

“A bad guy or a decoy takes off running,” Down said. “Kylo is sent on the deployment, and he needs to distinguish between an officer chasing a bay guy and the bad guy in front.”

Recently, Kylo’s most notable achievement was leading officers to the location of Oceano resident Fritz Schnoor who allegedly broke into the home of an elderly couple in Arroyo Grande and stabbed them with a knife. One of the victims, Cindy Giambalvo, succumbed to her wounds in the hospital.

Kylo and Downs were at the scene of the crime after the Arroyo Grande Police Department contacted the Pismo Beach K-9 unit for assistance with backyard searches. As soon as his handler brought Kylo out, the German shepherd put his nose to the ground and started tracking odor.

Eventually, Kylo guided Downs to a backyard around 60 feet away from the Giambalvos’ house and began barking—an indication that he had picked up the scent of someone hiding there. 

Officers called out to Schnoor before they deployed Kylo, and the suspect emerged from the dark with his hands in the air.

‘[Kylo’s] not in the house, he’s not sleeping in our bed or socializing with other dogs. Home is to relax and get his rest because the next day [at work] could be busy for him.’
—Matt Downs, Pismo Beach Police Department K-9 handler

“You become one with your dog, pretty much, so you know how your dog alerts,” Downs said. “When he’s pulling me, that means he’s trying to get something. The other alert was he started scratching at the gate, … and when I opened the gate, he started barking, which means he’s telling me that there’s an odor coming downwind, which was where the guy was hiding.”

Police dogs usually work until they’re roughly 9 years old. Downs hopes Kylo has at least another five years of service left in him before retiring and spending the rest of his life with his handler.

Kylo is popular furry face among locals, often making an appearance at canine meet-and-greets and demonstrations around Pismo Beach. 

The community also supports the K-9 unit with donations. Historically, that funding has paid for acquiring police dogs, which can cost between $25,000 and $30,000. Donations also cover training, certifications, food, veterinary and medical expenses, kenneling, handler equipment, and vehicle-related equipment.

As of August 2026, the K-9 program’s donation balance stood at $26,000. The rest of the funding comes from the city of Pismo Beach. According to Police Chief Jeff Smith, they wanted to make sure there were reliable funds available for the K-9 unit.

“The city set aside a reserve fund, so if we ever don’t have enough within the money that’s been donated to the Police Department, we will have money in reserve that can be used toward the K-9 program,” he said. “At times, when our balance has been low, it’s usually been due to purchasing a new dog and putting them through all the training. … Fortunately, we’ve never been in the red.”

In September, the Pismo Beach City Council approved earmarking $15,000 per year for the K-9 unit. Smith said the department estimated that amount would cover food, care, medical needs, and training for Kylo and his successors. 

That funding cushion will arrive next fiscal year. The Police Department is required to return unused money to the city’s general fund by the end of each year.

“Besides being a working dog, Kylo is a dog we take out into the community,” Smith said. “For us, having a K-9 program is definitely a positive, and I know our residents love seeing Kylo at our various events.”

For Kylo’s handler Downs, the joy of being in the K-9 program lies in witnessing the police dog use his skills and even celebrate them.

“My favorite memory was … when he was able to track where [Schnoor] was,” Downs said. “That was probably one of our biggest achievements because after that he was very happy, like he knew he did right. He was pretty much like a puppy, jumping around, getting excited. 

“So that was, I guess you could say, a proud dad moment.” ∆

Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.

This article appears in Pets 2026.