MONROE — County law enforcement got a little furrier over the summer when both the Green County Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department added new K-9s to the rotation. 

The sheriff’s office welcomed German Shepherd Ali in June. The previous K-9, Ike, retired in February. Monroe policed welcomed Belgian Malamute Bane in July. 

K-9 officers are a good way to bring in community support and interest, MPD K-9 Officer Jeremy Larson said, but they bring much more than just that to the department.

“Having a K-9 is such a versatile tool,” Green County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Officer Zach Degner said. “It’s a fantastic tool for law enforcement.”

Many people know K-9s as “drug dogs,” but Ali and Bane are trained in far more than drug detection.

The two dogs on duty are trained in obedience, suspect apprehension, handler protection, tracking, article search and narcotics detection. They have been used in burglaries and missing persons.

The community’s program

Adding a K-9 to the law enforcement family can be an expensive endeavor because of training and travel expenses.

Between purchasing the canine and sending both the dog and the handler to training, the cost to the department to bring in a K-9 can reach $14,000.

The Monroe Police Department has the community to thank for its ability to purchase Bane and send both he and Larson to training.

The K-9 program at the police department has been funded by community donations and fundraisers which are what allowed the program to purchase the new four-legged officer. 

“This community is very supportive of the K-9 program,” Larson said. “That’s why the K-9 program exists.”

Man’s best friend

An important part of the job of the K-9s and handlers is maintaining a strong bond. The bonding begins almost immediately after the handler picks out the dog, Larson said. He and Bane first met in October 2019.

“For some reason, he stood out to me,” Larson said.

When the pair went to training in June, the bond was immediate.

“It was kind of instant when we got together,” Larson said. “He was by my side right away.”

During the month-long training that K-9s and handlers attend, the pair will sleep together in a hotel room, something that immediately helps create that bond between handler and K-9.

After training, the pairs each returned to Monroe and the families of the handlers welcomed the new dogs into their lives.

Though life at home is still regimented, with specific play and training times, and even rules for when eating is allowed, the K-9s get a chance to live a “normal” dog life when they go home with their families at the end of the day. At home and for community presentations, Bane is a “very social and fun dog,” Larson said, but he can be “all business when it’s time.”

A dream come true

For Larson, the opportunity to work as a K-9 officer has been the realization of a long-time goal. 

Being from Monroe, Larson always knew that he wanted to “come back and give back as much as I can,” he said. 

Larson grew up with pets and knew that incorporating his love for dogs into his passion for law enforcement was a good next step for him. 

The life of a K-9 officer can be busy and chaotic, since a call requesting the duo can come in at any time, day or night, but seeing what comes out of the hard work makes it worth it to Larson.

“It’s a ton of work,” he said. “But it’s really rewarding.”