News Releases

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Effective today, the Montgomery County Police Department in its ongoing dedication to providing its officers with the latest training pertinent to current events, has added “Llama Awareness Classes” to the mandatory training that officers are required to complete each year. This class will now also be included in recruit training.

The need for a “Llama Awareness Class” became apparent after the February 26 llama incident in Sun City, Arizona. As people may recall, after escaping confinement, two llamas led law enforcement officers and residents on a slow moving pursuit through town. Montgomery County has a llama population, most who live in the more rural areas of the County. The Arizona incident caused the Department to realize that officers could be better educated and trained on how to interact effectively with a llama.

The “Llama Awareness Class” was developed internally and consists of classroom and in the field training. Officers will learn about the history and culture of the llama, as well as receive valuable information from guest speakers who are experts on the subject matter. For example, as one farmer explained to officials during the development of the class, “Lllamas get along with other animals quite nicely and are very social animals. But, come at them aggressively, and they’ll spit at you!” Officers will also read classic literature written about the llama such as “Lllama Lllama Red Pajama” and “Lllama Lllama Mad at Mama.”

During "Llama Awareness Class" field training, officers will visit various farms in Montgomery County and interact with the llamas. They will learn to better communicate and negotiate with the llama and learn the art of lassoing.

The Department is proud to have developed this llama training for its officers and hopes that it will result in its officers better serving the community.

RLI

Note: Thank you to Maryland Meadows Farm in Damascus for their participation in this program and their willingness to teach our officers about llamas. Their llamas are featured in the photos.