K-9 completes 100th deployment

With drugs seemingly everywhere in today’s society, any help in getting rid of the problem is welcome.

Such is the case with the Jack County Sheriff’s Department which recently had its canine officer, Xena, deployed to her 100th assignment. Xena, a five-year-old English Labrador Retriever, has been busy since she signed on three years ago.

Around Memorial Day, Xena’s handler and deputy David Vanderkaay was talking with fellow deputy Zach Walley about adding another canine to the unit. Walley and his two-year-old Belgian Malinois, Canelo, went through training shortly after.

Canelo was recently accepted into the department and officially went into service last Monday. Vanderkaay said Canelo was deployed three times in a week’s time. Three drug seizures and three arrests were made because of Canelo, Vanderkaay explained.

During Xena’s time with the department, she has found lots of user amounts of drugs, but after adding the paraphernalia, it would be in the 10-15 pound range. Xena has also left the county to assist Young, Wise and Clay Counties.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Aug. 11, edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.