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Founder/CEO/K9 Handler When you open the dictionary and look up the word ‘unstoppable’ you will find a picture of Bernadine Beyale, Founder/Executive Director of 4 Corners K9 Search And Rescue (4CK9SAR). As a lifelong resident of New Mexico, Bernadine never envisioned herself living anywhere else. “As I was growing up, I thought I would eventually work in some aspect of criminal justice. My dad was a Navajo Police Officer for 32 years and retired as the Interim Police Captain. My mom also worked as a Navajo Police Officer for 4 years. I studied criminal justice in college, but my mom persuaded me to study business.” Bernadine earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Accounting from New Mexico State University.
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Since 2007, Bernadine has applied her business acumen to the Coal Mining Industry where she has worked for BHP Billington, North American Coal Corporation, and presently at Navajo Transitional Energy Company as a Purchasing/Contracts/Accounts Payable Supervisor. Overall, Coal Mining is a male-dominated industry. Bernadine is proud of the fact that she worked her way through 4 promotions and is 1 of 3 female supervisors at a company which employs 285 individuals. Her aptitude for building genuine relationships, leading by example, and encouraging those in her departments to rise to the next level are the attributes which she is respected and admired for.
In 2016, Bernadine’s passion for helping others was ignited when she took her German Shepherd Trigger, to obedience training. “Trigger’s natural instincts were unbelievable. We decided to pursue Search And Rescue Training and his true calling was evident. So, I decided to join him in his work!” Bernadine began studying and completing the classes that she needed to earn the required Certifications. She holds a Field Certification from the Department of Public Safety of New Mexico, 6 Certifications from The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with 10 additional industry-related Certifications. Bernadine was working a ‘booth’ on behalf of The State of New Mexico, at a public event in 2019. “An elderly couple came into the booth and shared that their son had been missing for 6 months. I could see the pain and agony on their faces, as they could not get any help from local Law Enforcement. I felt compassion for them and wanted to help. The Captain of the Search and Rescue Team told me that if I wanted to help them, that I would be doing so on my own, without any support from The State of New Mexico. My reply, “I am going!”
Bernadine gathered the information she needed, and set out on a search with Trigger, and the elderly parents. The first day out was disappointing, as they did not find anything. After receiving a ‘tip’ they ventured out the following weekend to a completely different area, very remote with difficult terrain. After 8 exhausting hours, they did find the son’s deceased body. “Although the family was distraught, they were able to bring a sense of closure to their agony.” At this point, Bernadine decided it was time to officially launch 4CK9SAR in March of 2022. “As I began talking with families regarding missing persons, I was shocked at the lack of follow-up and communication from Law Enforcement to the families. The Navajo Police Department does not have a designated K9 Search And Rescue Division, so the missing persons reports tend to hit a roadblock.”
It is Bernadine’s vision to assist, locate, rescue, and recover lost and missing persons on Native American Tribal Lands. This encompasses over 27,000 square miles, where the 4 corners of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado meet. Families contact Bernadine via phone, email, or Facebook. She responds within 1 hour to determine if it’s a situation that she can assist with. Through Bernadine’s leadership, drive, and determination, the 4CK9SAR Team of 8 dedicated Volunteers and 2 devoted Canines are on a quest to find those who need to be found.