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K9 handler training
Our Sheriff’s Office K9 handlers are selected through a competitive process; human candidates must have at least five years’ experience as a police officer.
Once chosen, the dog and handler attend a six-week basic handler’s school. Once the team returns to service in Clackamas County, they spend their time training, responding to calls, searching for suspects and helping out our Patrol division and outside agencies with calls for service.
When are K9 teams needed?
The dogs are mostly used for their extraordinary senses of smell — although their keen hearing and ability to detect movement help with captures. K9 teams respond to the following incidents:
- Pursuits of suspects hiding from deputies
- Article, evidence or narcotics searches
- SWAT calls
- Residential or business alarms
- Premise checks
- High-risk traffic stops or pursuits
The K9 Unit also spends many hours on public demonstrations at schools, fairs, and community events.
Two of our former dogs, Mik and Nero, are featured in their own series of comic books.
2021 K9 team stats
From the 2021 CCSO Year in Review:
- 7 K9 teams
- 716 total deployments
- 826 total activities during deployments (building searches, area searches, vehicle sniff checks, etc.)
- 818 total hours deployed
- 170 total evidence items found
Meet the K9 roster
Our current K9 deputy roster:
K9 Abbie
Breed: Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd
Specialties: Narcotics Detection
Favorite toy: Tennis ball
Birthday: 3/15/2016
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: April 2018
K9 Ajax
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
Specialties: Narcotics Detection, Patrol
Favorite toy: Tennis Ball
Birthday: 9/8/2015
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: 2017
K9 Coda
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
Specialties: Narcotics Detection, Patrol
Favorite toy: Anything he can tug/pull
Birthday: 04/03/2015
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: 2016
K9 Duco
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
Specialties: Patrol, Narcotics Detection
Favorite toy: Jute/Kong
Birthday: 3/5/2017
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: 2018
K9 Urban
Breed: Belgian Malinois
Specialties: Patrol, Detection
Favorite toy: Jute toy or large tree branches
Birthday: 8/20/2015
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: 2016
K9 Valli
Breed: Dutch Shepherd
Specialties: Patrol, Narcotics Detection
Favorite toy: Tennis balls
Birthday: 02/05/2016
Birthplace: Germany
Language: German
Began Service: 2017
K9 Yukon
Breed: Belgian Malinois / Dutch Shepherd mix
Specialties: Patrol, Electronic Storage Device (ESD) Detection
Favorite toy: "Any ball attached to a string"
Birthday: 06/18/2020
Birthplace: The Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Began Service: 2022
K9 Gregor
Breed: Wirehaired Pointer / Black Labrador
Specialty: Narcotics Detection
Favorite Toy: Squeaky ball
Birthday: 5/31/22
Birthplace: Ireland
Language: English
Began Service: 2024
Friends of Clackamas K9
This non-profit organization raises funds to pay for medical and other expenses for retired Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office K9s. They sell plushies and keep a calendar of K9 appearances at special events.
