Last week the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office – Roger L. Harris Sheriff celebrated the 50th anniversary of its K9 unit, gathering deputies, dogs and Sheriff’s past and present to officially dedicate the county’s new K9 Memorial.
“Our K9 partners are always faithful, devoted, and forgiving…forgiving for the mistakes we make as handlers,” said Spotsylvania County Sheriff Major Delbert Myrick in prepared remarks. Myrick is also a former K9 handler.
“It is the K9, not the handler, who makes the K9 team special.”
The Spotsylvania K9 Memorial was donated by The Fraternal Order Lodge #15 and represents all dogs past, present and future. Myrick says that the bronze statue is positioned to provide overwatch to the adjacent Fallen Heroes Memorial.
Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris tells hyperbole that the county is currently in the process of obtaining its eleventh K9 officer. He’d like to have 12.
In addition to tracking suspects and locating missing persons, the county has K9s capable of detecting hard drives, smartphones and other computer storage equipment.