The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit was established in 2007.  The K-9 Unit brings specialized skills to the Sheriff’s Office which includes:

TRACKING – K-9’s use their heightened sense of smell, hearing, and physical agility to detect and locate fleeing criminals and/or missing children or adults.  The combination of scent the individual is leaving behind and other factors such as detecting disturbed ground the individual has stepped on, help K-9’s quickly locate suspects or those in distress.

CRIMINAL APPREHENSION – In some circumstances a violent person or fleeing felon may refuse to surrender to law enforcement.  K-9’s are trained to assist their handlers and supporting law enforcement officers by apprehending the suspect in an effort to stop any further fleeing.  The K-9 unit is also able to search businesses, residences, or other building to locate suspects who may be hiding to evade arrest.

ARTICLE SEARCHES - Because of their sense of smell, suspects who during flight, sometimes discard key items of evidentiary value.  Items retain human odor for some time and the K-9 is able to locate these items.

HANDLER PROTECTION – Because of the close bond between the handler and dog, the K-9 is able to help the handler when in trouble by apprehending the offender and rendering them submissive to law enforcement.

DRUG SEARCHES – K-9’s are able to detect the odor of illegal narcotics.  When used during a search of a building, vehicle, or open area the dog indicates on the odor, giving law enforcement probable cause to conduct a search.  K-9’s are an important part in the fight against illegal drugs in Stevens County. 

K-9 “Rico” was born in the spring of 2005 in Slovokia.  Rico and his handler, Deputy Graham Holtberg, attended a total of twelve weeks of training throughout the Twin Cities and were certified in Narcotics Detection a PDI (Patrol Dog level 1) in 2007 and 2008 with the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) Region 12.  The K-9 unit is very active in Stevens County and assists many other outside police departments, Sheriff’s Offices, and other criminal investigative agencies.

For questions about the K-9 unit or requests for demonstrations, contact the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office at (320) 208-6500.