The Tama County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit was formed in 2000 by Deputy Mike Wright. Through fundraising and gracious donors, the K9 Unit has continued to serve the citizens of Tama County. The K9 Unit consists of a single Deputy with their canine partner. The K9 Unit is a donation-based unit which means all training, equipment, and veterinary care is funded by fundraisers and donations.
The dogs used for our K9 Unit as specifically bred for law enforcement applications. The current, as well as all the previous canines, are dual-purpose canines. Dual-purpose includes narcotic detection and patrol. The patrol side of dual-purpose encompasses locating suspects/criminals, whether tracking or searching a building. Apprehending suspects/criminals is also part of a patrol canine’s ability which can reduce the danger to law enforcement officers as well as a suspect/criminal.
These canines are highly trained. Much of the initial training is weeks in length. On top of initial training, the deputy and their canine partner are continuously training to maintain the proficiency of the canine. The deputy assigned to the K9 Unit spends a substantial amount of their own time working, training, and living with their assigned canine. Through training and living with the canine, the assigned handler is able to understand and read the canine’s actions and behavior.
The K9 Unit also is a great educational unit. Demonstrations for schools, businesses, and various organizations happen to show the ability of the canine. If you would like to set up a demonstration or meet the current canine, please reach out to our office!
As stated before, the K9 Unit is a donation-based Unit. If you would like to donate to the K9 Unit, please reach out to our office!
