SHERIFF’S OFFICE INTRODUCES FOUR NEW K-9s

PRESS RELEASE- SHERIFF’S OFFICE INTRODUCES FOUR NEW K-9s

MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE – Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong is pleased to announce that four new K-9s and their handlers went into service earlier this month.

The four new K-9s and their handlers are as follows:

• Sgt. Allen Russell & K-9 Sadie, Bloodhound – locating missing persons, apprehension of fugitives.

• Sgt. Gary Perkins & K-9 Hazel, Bloodhound – locating missing persons, apprehension of fugitives.

• Deputy Cory Phillips & K-9 Reko, Belgian Malinois, dual purpose patrol.

• Deputy Chandler Clark & K-9 Miller, German Shorthair Pointer, explosives detection.

The new K-9s were onboarded to replace retired and soon to be retired K-9s, one K-9 that passed away, and a K-9 that went out of service in 2022. The four new K-9s round out the current Sheriff’s K-9 unit, as follows:

• Deputy Scott Tipton & K-9 Toby, German Shepherd – explosives detection.
• Deputy Justin Summers & K-9 Wiskey, Belgian Malinois – dual purpose patrol.
• Deputy Billy Madore & K-9 Braum, Belgian Malinois – dual purpose patrol.
• Deputy Skip Kindig & K-9 Veki, German Shorthair Pointer – Adult Corrections – contraband detection.
• Deputy Jole Payne & K-9 Cliff, German Shepherd – dual purpose patrol.
• Deputy Tim Pace & K-9 Jimbo, Belgian Malinois – dual purpose patrol.

Many of the Sheriff’s K-9s are purchased through Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, and trained and certified in-house and through the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association. Most of the Sheriff’s K-9s are purchased and maintained through the drug fund or private donors and at no cost to taxpayers.

We plan to introduce a new K-9 handler in the coming months. Stay tuned!