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K-9 UNIT HELPS DETER CRIME |
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Written by Tim Gobble, Sheriff
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Friday, 30 October 2009 |
They say a dog is man’s best friend, but a dog can also be law enforcement’s best friend. Our three four-legged deputies in the BCSO’s K-9 Unit, Bond, Nash and Bravo, have proven that time and again.
Deputy Chad Owenby works with K-9 Bond, a four-year-old, brown and black German Shepherd. Bond is a certified drug dog, an actual native of Germany and trained to detect the odor of narcotics in vehicles and homes, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
Deputy Johnny Stokes works with Nash, a three-year-old, solid black German Shepherd and also a native of Germany. Nash is trained in narcotics detection and criminal apprehension, and is certified in tracking lost and missing persons.
The newest member of the K-9 Unit is six-year-old Bravo. He is handled by Patrol Deputy Dale Liner. Bravo is a brown and black German Shepherd and also a certified tracker. All three of these dogs live with their human partners. It is not unusual for a deputy to keep their K-9s at their home, both during the canine’s service and after their retirement. This allows for the canine and the deputy to form that strong bond unique to a pet and their owner.
The uncanny tracking abilities of these dogs make them an invaluable resource for law enforcement. Just recently, a criminal in Polk County robbed a bank there and fled to our side of the Polk/Bradley line. I was with a team of Polk and Bradley County deputies combing the area looking for the fugitive. One of our K-9s was brought in to join the manhunt. It wasn’t long until the canine had tracked the bank robber to a farm near the county line and led us right to the fugitive, who was well hidden in some bushes. The dog held the bad guy in check until deputies could take him into custody.
I also had an interesting experience with one of our tracking dogs shortly after I became sheriff. The BCSO was trying to locate a criminal who had broken into a local resident’s home and fled on foot. I was with a team of deputies, also on foot, that canvassed the area, which took us miles through wooded areas and open fields. At some point during the search, I lost my cell phone. I had no idea where to begin looking for it, so the following day Deputy Liner offered the use of one of our tracking dogs to locate my cell phone. Even though the phone had been out in the weather for over 16 hours, the canine led us straight to it, hidden in tall grass out in the middle of a field.
K-9s have proven effective all over the country. Some of these dogs have even died in the line of duty or while protecting their trainers. Deputies Bond, Nash and Bravo are great assets to the BCSO in our fight against illegal drug activity and other crimes, and we appreciate their service.
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