Local Building Gives Law Enforcement K-9’s Access for Needed Training

10/04/2017

CIRCLEVILLE

Three Sheriff K-9 units and one Circleville K-9 Unit were on the scene at 120 Morris Rd in Circleville, formerly known as the Carnival Foods grocery store. Now empty, the owner of the building, Ron Snyder has allowed access to law enforcement, “The K-9 units need training in the area. I think the Sheriff department and local police do an amazing job. I see giving them access to my building for training is a contribution to benefit the community. K-9 training will help the war on drugs in our area, and I’m happy to assist in that,” said Snyder.

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Sixteen hours of monthly training is required by the state to keep K-9 dogs sharp at their duties. “Most of our training facilities are in Franklin County, that’s what makes this great,” said one Deputy. K-9 Units are a drug interdiction tool, used to deter drug activities. The K-9 Unit is especially dedicated to detection of drugs being transported by the sheriff mobile vehicles for on-scene detection and duties. K-9 officers also assume a roll of regular patrol duties and respond to the same type of calls for service as regular patrol officers.

K-9 units are not only used for drug detection but can be used in SWAT duties, tracking suspects or missing children, and detect bombs or bomb materials. K-9 dogs are highly trained; they received four to twelve weeks of training and have to pass a test to become licensed to perform duties. German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are most commonly used because of their availability.

Deputy Stephen Harger has been with the Sheriff’s department since October of 2013, K-9 Joris is new to the force as Harger recently lost his K-9 dog Aron in July.

Deputy Jeremy Wallace has been with the Sheriff department since march of 2015. He started working with K-9 Turpin in August of 2016