The Garvin County Sheriff’s office welcomed a new K-9 deputy to its ranks last week.
Deputy Jackson, a 2-year-old Dutch shepherd, received his badge Friday from his handler, Garvin County Deputy Dakota Garrison, and Sheriff Jim Mullett.
Jackson is the first K-9 officer the Sheriff’s Department has had in about six years, according to Mullett, who credits Deputy Garrison with taking the initiative and doing the research and legwork necessary to make the program a reality.
Garrison, who is interested in narcotics enforcement, said K-9’s are a great tool for work in that field.
“It’s a great tool for proactive police work. He can detect smells that we can’t,” Garrison said, adding K-9’s possess a sense of smell estimated to be 10,000 times more acute than that of humans.
Jackson is a single-purpose narcotics detection dog trained to find methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and marijuana, as well as derivatives of those drugs.
He recently completed four weeks of training in Tulsa, which included learning general obedience, narcotics detection, leash management and handler training.
Jackson started patrol with Garrison March 16 and had his first assignment the following day on an agency assist with the Pauls Valley Police Department. Mullett said Jackson is also spending time getting acclimated to his new environment.
“We’re very excited,” Mullett said. “It’s a positive for the community, for our office and for all the other local law enforcement agencies we work with.”
Mullett said the cost of the new K-9 officer and training, estimated at close to $10,000, was funded by donations from Seth Wadley Auto Group and CVR Refining.
