The Marshall County Commissioners were treated to a demonstration by the new Sheriff’s K9 handler Blake Bennett and his partner Diesel during their meeting Monday.
Diesel is a year and a half old Belgian Malinois from the Netherlands. During the whole month of January the team trained together. This K9 will track, detect narcotics and attack. Deputy Bennett told the commissioners they’ve been on the road working together since January 30th. That night is easy to remember because they found success and assisted another agency and located two illegal firearms, cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana. In the 16 shifts that they have worked together they’ve had 33 deployments. They have recovered almost $2,500 in cash, over 90 grams of methamphetamines, other types of amphetamines, marijuana synthetic cannibals, heroin, cocaine, other narcotics and 5 firearms so far.
Diesel is nationally certified in dual purpose and patrol and narcotics such a methamphetamines, other amphetamines, heroin and other narcotics, cocaine and crack although he was not trained on marijuana due to the possible legalization of marijuana in the next few year. Some other states who have legalized marijuana have had to sell their dogs or retire them.
Deputy Bennett said there was a pursuit Saturday night, and the suspects threw items out of the vehicle going 100 mph. Officers looked for the items and weren’t successful, but Diesel was able to locate the narcotics and paraphernalia.
In a demonstration, five pieces of luggage were set out with one of them having a small amount of meth in it. While the dog thinks he playing he’s searching and when successful he gets a tennis ball.
