History

The K-9 Unit was orginally formed in 1989, due to the efforts of Major. John T. Wilcher, assisted by LT.Tommy Smoak, LT. Sandy Murray and Tony Derryberry, in order to provide Narcotic Detector support for the Chatham County Sheriff's Department.

As the program evolved Maj. John Murray and Major. John T. Wilcher guided the program's development, at the direction of the Sheriff Al St Lawrence, to reach its present standing. During this process the unit has grown from one narcotic detector dog, Sgt.Elvis, into a nationally recognized leader in the effective use of Police Service Dogs. The Sheriff's K-9 Team is working to increase the professional standing of Police Service Dogs across the state, and are proud to represent Chatham County, both at the state and national level.

The County Sheriff's K-9 Unit has expanded into the state model grant program providing police work dog support for some 87 law enforcement agencies as well as serving as the state K-9 Training Center for Narcotic and Explosive detector dogs. This expansion was brought about by the Governor's Criminal Justice Coordination Council(CJCC) and funded through the Edward Byrne Memorial Formula Grant Program. The current program's concept provides for the availability of specialty detector dogs to a number of law enforcement agencies within a defined region by concentrating the asset in a central location thus relieving the individual agencies of the management, support, and training responsibility.

It further insures a high level of performace will be delivered to the regional law enforcement agencies upon demand. The Chatham County Sheriff's Regional K-9 Team also serves as the center for Training and Certification of Police Service Dogs funded under the Byrne Grant Program. In support of this mission, the CJCC has awarded the Regional K-9 Team additional funds to construct dormitories for student housing while attending Training. The program is serving as a model to be duplicated in other regions around the state, with the first starting operations in July of 1998. The program is also under consideration as a National Model Program for the effective use of Police Service Dogs. The mission support provided by the Chatham County Sheriff's Regional Team includes specialty detection in the areas of: Narcotic, Explosive, and Firearms.