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Canine Unit
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office K-9 program dates back to the 1960’s when Baron, a 100+ pound German Shepard, became the first K-9 in the department. Through the decades, K-9 programs all across the country have grown to be viewed as ambassadors to citizen outreach, and a “deputy partner” to the handler on patrol. Among K-9 divisions, every agency upholds a philosophy which stands on its own for definition, use, attributes, and limitations. At the Carson City Sheriff’s Office, the “Canine Unit or K-9” is comprised of hand-picked dogs (and handlers) that are trained to specialties in drug detection, patrol operations, and search; furthermore, each K-9 is specifically matched to its highly motivated handler. All of the local K-9s are selected to be “pet friendly,” they are all capable of being in the close proximity of children and safe to the pets of citizens. Nevertheless, they are fully capable of assisting their handlers in day-to-day law enforcement activities, even assisting in the apprehension of violent offenders. The Sheriff’s K-9 team is required to effectively operate on the highest standards of principles during both on-duty and off-duty schedules.
Historically, the K-9 program in Carson City was provided through generous donations received to support the program. Today, while donations continue to come in for the dogs’ health and welfare, the Sheriff has moved the program into the Capital Budget arena, where it rests in the annual budget obligation. While K-9 units are staffed on each shift and within the Special Enforcement narcotics team, at present, a K-9 unit is only available on-duty approximately 80% of the time. Therefore, all of the K-9 teams are equipped and capable of responding to any incident around the clock, as needed.
The K-9 Unit in Carson City is among the most valued resources within the department, receiving the highest value of care by local veterinarians and training that is the most intense in the department. They are commonly seen at local schools, in businesses, and patrolling throughout the community. To request the assistance of a K-9 team, or schedule a demonstration for your business or community organization, please contact the Sheriff’s Operations Patrol Division Commander at 775-887-7885.