The Marion County Sheriff’s Office celebrated the addition of its newest K-9 handlers and K-9 partners to its force this week, with several of the dogs specializing in narcotics detection and one in explosives.
On Wednesday, MCSO held a graduation ceremony for the group. The event culminated hundreds of hours of training in specialized methods specific to their roles on patrol, in the Marion County Jail, or at the Marion County Courthouse in downtown Ocala.
According to MCSO, the five new K-9 teams are as follows:
- Cpl. Maxwell Coleman and K-9 Benno – Patrol K-9 (600 hours) & Narcotics Detection (240 hours)
- Dep. Charles Paddock and K-9 Kato – Patrol K-9 (600 hours) & Narcotics Detection (240 hours)
- Detention Cpl. Dale Brown and K-9 Duke – Narcotics Detection (240 hours)
- Detention Dep. Matthew Martin and K-9 Jade – Narcotics Detection (240 hours)
- Detention Cpl. Dylan Smith Roberts and K-9 JC – Explosive Detection (240 hours)
“MCSO is extremely proud of their hard work and dedication throughout these past several months. We look forward to watching them succeed in their new roles,” reads a statement from the sheriff’s office…