After being without a K-9 for more than a year, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department has gone back to the dogs with the addition of Sgt. Andor, who arrived late last week and will be teamed with Deputy Courtney Kelly.
Local businesswoman Wanda Bateman provided the money to purchase the dog and said during a press conference Friday she did so because it “was a way to help them (law enforcement).”
“I have a lot of rental property and I couldn’t do without the sheriff’s office, police department and 9-1-1 ” she said. “When I call they’re always right there and besides, this is much needed.”
Bateman presented the sheriff’s department a check for $8,000 to cover the cost of the dog.
Sheriff Gerald Robinson said Bateman was also moved to act when the department had to euthanize a former K-9, Sgt. Prins, in May of last year after the dog served for more than six years.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
A second dog, Sgt. Duak was retired after five years of service, two months prior to the death of Sgt. Prins, who in 2007 was ranked number one police K-9 in the state of Arkansas in National Narcotic Detector Dog Association competitions and number 11 overall in the country.
“Ms. Bateman stepped up for us and offered to buy us a new dog,” Robinson said. “With the new dog and its new handler Deputy Kelly, Jefferson County is going to be safer and we’re going to be able to take more drugs off the street.”
Andor, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois, was born in Europe and has already received his initial training, Major Lafayette Woods Jr. said in a press release. Kelly and the dog will receive additional training beginning Aug. 6 at Von Klein Stein Working Dogs in North Little Rock, where Andor will be taught to respond to verbal commands from Kelly.
Woods said Criss Garner, the owner of Von Klein Stein Working Dogs, has provided police service dogs to more than 81 law enforcement agencies in Arkansas and across the country.
Kelly began his law enforcement career with the sheriff’s department in 2010 and was originally assigned to the Transport Division. He was recently reassigned to the Warrants Division.
Woods said Sgt. Andor has already received training in detecting the odor of drugs, marijuana, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, and enjoys being around people, including children.
After the death of one dog and the retirement of the other last year, the sheriff’s department began an effort to solicit funds from the public to purchase two dogs, and Robinson said that effort will continue to try and acquire a second K-9.
“We plan to continue reaching out to the community so that we are able to purchase another dog,” Robinson said. “They cost approximately $10,000 to purchase and train but the cost is worth it when you consider their ability to sniff out drugs and help make this county safer.”