FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT

Major Lafayette Woods, Jr.

Operation Commander/Public Information Officer

870.541.5351

Email: lafayette.woods@jeffcoso.org

SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO INTRODUCE NEWIEST MEMBER TO SHERIFF’S K-9 DUO: Jefferson County, Arkansas – On Friday, October 19, 2012 at 10:00 a.m., the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office will introduce their new K-9 duo, Sergeant Thaddeus Arnold and his K-9 Partner Sergeant “Reis” at Press Conference to be held at the Rotunda of the Jefferson County Circuit Court House located 101 W. Barraque Street in Pine Bluff, AR.
 
In the 1990’s, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office purchased its first narcotics detection K-9 and assigned it to the Uniformed Patrol Division.  However, it wasn’t until early 1999 that the agency was able to form a dedicated K-9 unit serving patrol as well as their narcotics division with two dual purpose K-9’s.  In March 2011, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office retired Sergeant “Duak”, a Belgian Malinois after five years of dedicated service.  Two months later and after an impressive six plus years of dedicated service the sheriff’s office had to humanely euthanize Sergeant “Prins”, the agency’s second Belgian Malinois dual purpose police K-9 after learning that his body had been overran by cancer.
 
Sergeant “Reis”, a three year old male Belgian Malinois arrived on Friday, October 12, 2012.  Sergeant “Reis” is currently trained to detect the odor of Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, and Methamphetamine.  He is very sociable but his strong points are his hunt drive and desire to locate illegal drugs.  His handler, Sergeant Thaddeus Arnold began his law enforcement career with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in 2004, where he was originally assigned to the Uniformed Patrol Division.  Following the arrival of Sergeant “Reis”, Arnold was reassigned to the K-9 Division.  

Both Sergeant Arnold and Sergeant “Reis” are due to complete Basic K-9 Handler Training instructed by Mr. Criss Gardner of Von Klein Stein Working Dogs in Sherwood, AR beginning October 22, 2012 at the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy (ALETA) in Camden, AR.  Since 1988 Criss Garner owner of Von Klein Stein Working Dogs has provided quality Police Service Dogs to over 81 law enforcement agencies in the United States and Arkansas.  Sergeant “Reis” will be taught to respond to verbal commands. 

 The sheriff's office obtained the funding for Sergeant Reis from donations from businesses and lifelong citizens of Jefferson County to include the following:

• Tyson Foods, Inc.
• Mr. Erasmo Dierich, owner of Dierich LLC
• Mrs. Judie Jones
• Mrs. Anne S. Robinson
• Mr. Gus Morehead, Jr.
• Mr. James R. Buis

Through their generous contribution to our K-9 Program, the above mentioned businesses and lifelong citizens have displayed their dedication to assisting the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office with maintaining its K-9 program for use in curbing the flow of illicit drugs into our city, county and state. This public-private partnership initially sought funds to purchase and deploy 2 specially trained police dogs across the county for use by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Tri-County Drug Task Force during the continuous campaign to reduce drug trafficking in Jefferson County.
 
K-9’s like Sergeant “Reis” have and always will be members of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and they are valuable tools in the agency’s mission to protect and serve the citizens of Jefferson County and Pine Bluff, AR.