On June 28, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit celebrated the graduation of three K9 officers and their K9 partners: Cpl. Tyner and her K9, Rico; PFC Irwin and his K9, Bane; and PFC Levy and his K9 Mando.

After seven months of rigorous training, under the direction of William “Billy” Cotton and Cpl. Larry Blake, the teams received Patrol and Narcotics Certifications. Throughout the training course, the dogs learned obedience, following commands, search, scent tracking, apprehension, and substance detection among other situations. “The work of our K9 teams is a critical component to the Agency and we take the responsibility of their training very seriously,” said Cotton. “I enjoy training new K9 officers as they provide a unique service to our Agency and our communities,” said Cpl. Blake.

All three K9s are about 1 ½ years old. Rico is a German Shepherd; Bane is a Belgian Malinois; and Mando is a Malaherd. “I am continually impressed by our K9 Unit and their trainers who work so hard to have that strong working relationship out in the field,” said Sgt. Beth Clark who supervises the Unit. “Completing this program takes a great deal of dedication and discipline, and we are proud to have these teams assisting us in our mission to help protect our communities in Charles County,” said Sheriff Troy Berry.

With the completion of their training, Rico, Bane and Mando have now begun their careers in patrol. With the graduation of these three teams, the Agency has a total of eight K9 teams and two bloodhound teams ready to help serve and protect.

CONTACT: Diane Richardson

Media Relations Office

301-609-6557 or 240-682-1658

 

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in 2001 and has since earned the highest rating of Excellence. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com.