Thursday, May 2, 2024
In a recent meeting, members of CRSP (Coryell Retired School Personnel) were introduced to three deputies who work with Coryell County’s K9 Unit: Trent Willingham, David Ashley, and Javario Savannah. Under Sheriff Scott Williams, the K9 Unit was reinstated in April 2017 with the purchase of Stana, a Belgian Malinois Narcotics K9, using drug seizure money. Two additional dogs had joined the Sheriff’s Office by 2020 as a result of applications for grants. Gunner came from an organization called K9 Officers, Inc. based in Houston, and Kraken came from K9s for Cops and was purchased by a donation from Minnesota Vikings NFL player, Brian Robison. With these three dogs and their handlers, the K9 Unit was putting a dent in drugs in Coryell County, especially heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana, and Ecstasy.
The K9 program is partially funded by the budget for the Sheriff’s Office, which basically provides for food and a yearly check-up with required shots. But a budget designed for one dog would not support three, so County Commissioners began to approve the acceptance of donations, which clearly came from a county that supported the K9 program. In April 2022, another situation arose when Stana, who had given five years to the Police Department, injured her leg and tore an ACL ligament. She could not bear weight on the leg, and it was causing stress on her hips and other legs - causing much pain. She was in need of surgery that would cost around $1200-$1670, and department funds were not available for this. However, an appeal to the local community provided more funds for surgery than needed. The extra donations were added to the K9 budget in the Sheriff’s Department. Stana was retired to live out the rest of her life as free of pain as possible with her handler and his family.
The handlers and their K9s who were at the meeting were Deputy Trent Willingham, who graduated from Gatesville High School in 2017 and has been working with the Sheriff’s Office for six years. His K9, Deputy Drago, is a full-blooded Dutch Shepherd who has served with the department for 10 months. He is a younger dog (two years old) with less training, which makes him very intense. The other handler was Deputy David Ashley, who has been with the department for three years. HissHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhHis K9 is Deputy Kraken, a 5 ½- year-old Belgian Malinois shepherd, who has worked in the Department 4 ½ years. Kraken has had more experience than Drago, and his handler has children. So, he is more likely to be petted by others. The K9s live with their handlers and receive training every day, whether it is very serious training or playful training. They are always trained to look to their handler, respond to his instructions exactly, and protect him. The dogs wear a collar which to some may look uncomfortable or painful, but that is not the case. The collar is a way for handlers to communicate with their K9s, such as to give chase, to return to the handler, or to let the handler know where he is. Deputy Willingham said, “Handlers and their K9s may be awakened any time day or night to assist with vehicle searches or track suspects in our community as well as in neighboring areas. However, it’s not always on the criminal side. We help locate people who are in need. Kraken once tracked down a suicidal teenager near Cove who had run off into a tree line.” They work as needed at traffic stops, with Police Departments, Departments of Public Safety, and Game Wardens. Once, they even responded to a call for backup from Lampasas County.
Supporting a K9 Unit can be expensive, and that is why donations become very helpful. Here are just a few of the cost considerations for supporting a K9 Unit:
(1) Cost of the K9 – Single purpose K-9s may cost as much as $1200-1400. Stana and Gunner were single purpose dogs (they sniffed out various drugs and tracked humans). Stana was purchased by Coryell County; Gunner was received on a grant. Dual-purpose dogs, like Kraken and Drago, can sniff out drugs and track people, but they can also bite, take down criminals, and hold them until Police arrive. Dual-purpose dogs will cost more.
(2) K9 Inserts for police cars – Cars used by K9 handlers often have no back seat. The whole back seat is for the dog, and these “cages” may run $3800 each. They are designed individually to fit each car used and cannot be interchanged with other cars.
(3) Heating systems – They are available, usually donated. When the handler leaves the car, the dog may remain in it. When temperatures rise above 80 degrees inside the car, the monitor rolls down the windows. The cost is about $1,500.
(4) Ballistic vests – Each dog wears one to protect vital organs, and they run about double what the officers wear. They are usually provided by donations by citizens in the county.
(5) Cost of Training – Single purpose narcotics K9s must go through about two to four weeks of training with their handlers to become certified by the National Narcotics Drug Dog Detection Association. Kraken has had two handlers (originally Mike Gonzales, who went through 3 months of training in Harris County Sheriff’s Department K9 Unit). He is now a dual-purpose dog trained in narcotics as well as in how to track and apprehend humans. This training may cost as much as $4900.
(6) Tending to a hurt dog – As with Stana, surgery or medical help may be required, with financial help often coming from donations. The dog, if he must retire, spends the rest of his life with his handler. Often, the handler must retrain the K9 to relax and enjoy life.
The deputies shared their feelings that there is no doubt that the K9 Unit has been an asset to the Sheriff’s Office. It has been instrumental in helping take drugs off the street as well as in tracking down and taking down subjects who decide to run. Certifications for Drago and Kraken include the following: narcotics detection (meth, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and MDMA (ecstasy); criminal apprehension; handler protection; open area evidence recovery; building clearing; and locating missing persons (most often children, elderly, or disabled). The officers talk with different groups about their K9 Unit and will sometimes give demonstrations. Most people like dogs, but the officers decide whether or not their K9 may be petted. The dogs must be well-trained. They are to protect their handler and respond to him immediately, not getting distracted from their job.
