Ash and Argo sport shiny badges, boundless energy and work like dogs — no pun intended — every single day.
Ash and Argo sport shiny badges, boundless energy and work like dogs — no pun intended — every single day.
Both are the newest canine recruits added to the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit.
“Their handlers, Deputy (Michael) Wilson and Deputy (Joshua) Wendl, are a great addition and bring a lot of experience in law enforcement with them,” Sgt. Jacob Smith said. “Having the unit at full staff is always our goal and allows us to have one canine on each of our patrol shifts.”
The rich history of dogs in law enforcement began back in the Middle Ages.
According to the National Police Dog Foundation, the most used breeds are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, but several other breeds are represented, including Labrador Retrievers, known for their tracking, trailing and detection skills.
K9 Ash is a 2-year old, short-hair German Shepherd from Slovakia (Slovak Republic).
Wilson met Smith at Excel K9 Services’ field house on May 8 to meet Ash a couple weeks before his start of training in Hiram Township June 24. He graduated Aug. 9, which marked his first day on the road.
“I have always had a love for dogs,” Wilson said. “When I first started my career in law enforcement in 2002, it was one of the goals I set for myself.”
So, when a position on the K9 unit came up at GCSO, Wilson expressed his interest in being the next handler and was chosen.
“K9 Ash is quickly learning and retaining his tasks,” Smith said. “He is friendly and a great canine to work with.”
The short time Ash has been on the road, he has assisted other agencies with tracks, Wilson said.
“Becoming a K9 handler is one of the best jobs in law enforcement,” he said, adding he has been in law enforcement for 22 years.
“The whole experience from the day I started training with Ash has been very difficult some days and rewarding other days. Learning what these dogs need as far as training to learn to do the job they need to do was amazing, but humbling,” he said. “I have very high hopes for my partner. I know he will do great work for the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office and myself. Yes, I am living the dream job. Working for the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office is a great place to work and then adding in having a four-legged partner makes it even better.”
Wendl’s K9 partner, Argo, is a 9-year-old German Shepherd that began working at the sheriff’s office Jan. 15.
Prior to that, the duo, which became a team in July 2016, worked at The Oakwood Village Police Department.
“I have always worked with dogs as a child and as a young adult, we had hunting dogs,” Wendl said.
When he began working in law enforcement, working with a K9 was always in the back of his mind, but it wasn’t until he was asked to handle a dog for Oakwood Village that he ever thought it would happen.
“Argo and I have had several successful deployments while working together,” Wendl said. “Some of the best accomplishments come in working with the public in doing demonstrations for the public and showing what we can do. I believe that this is a dream job and there are great times.
“What not everyone understands is that these dogs are a full-time job, they don’t just get shut off and put away when you aren’t at work,” Wendl added. “They are very high energy dogs and they need to be taken care of 24/7. They have a hard time understanding down time. Don’t get me wrong, I love this dog and our accomplishments, but there is a lot more to it than riding around with a dog while at work.”
When people ask Wendl what it’s like handling a sheriff’s K9, he always responds, “It is a lot of work and everything revolves around them at work and at home. They are a very expensive piece of equipment that you are responsible for while at work and at home. When you are a K9 handler, your work never leaves you.”
Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand said he appreciates the K9 unit’s commitment to the county.
“Our K9 handlers are dedicated professionals that love what they do and love their dogs,” Hildenbrand said. “I totally appreciate their dedication and their dog’s dedication. They work very hard every day. The public, as well as the children, love the dogs as they participate in public appearances. But, make no mistake, they are working dogs, finding drugs, explosive and deputy protection.”
And they train hard.
Smith said their K9 training unit, composed of eight handlers from five agencies,
meets once a week for training.
He became a handler in 2012 and has worked with and observed a multitude of K9 teams.
“It is a great experience to watch the different personalities in the dogs and how they adapt to their new roles at the sheriff’s office,” Smith said.
Training is set up to teach the dogs how to approach their tasks in different environments and to challenge what they already know.
“This allows us to be prepared for any type of deployment that we may encounter,” Smith said. “The canines are able to locate narcotics or explosives, track people, find evidence, apprehend suspects and protect their handlers.”
Each K9 needs to be annually recertified, Smith said.
“Our citizens have been very supportive of the K9 program. I thank them all for that,” Hildenbrand added. “I also support this program because it is what makes Geauga County the best county in the state of Ohio.”
Through donations, GCSO is able to continue to operate and handle the K9 unit costs, which include everything from food to equipment.
“I would like to express our great appreciation to the citizens of Geauga County that support our unit,” Smith said.
