The Franklin County’s Sheriff’s Office recently added a new member—a K9 named Skye. Deputy Chase Weinandy says they started working together in June and have already used Sky on six calls, mostly during traffic stops. Skye went through six weeks of training with a K9 program, followed by another six weeks with Deputy Weinandy to build their partnership. According to Weinandy, they train several hours weekly to stay sharp.
“We initially when we got her, Karma K9 out of Waverly, initially did a six week training with her. And then once that was complete, she, her and I went through it, but another six week training where we bonded and, and learned how each other work. Beyond that, we train four to six hours a week, on both patrol and narcotics.”
Deputy Weinandy tells RadioOnTheGo News that Skye has been trained to search vehicles, help find missing persons, and assist in suspect apprehension along with other law enforcement capabilities.
“On average traffic stops, if if a reasonable suspicion is gained, she can be ran around a vehicle. She can be ran around, another deputy’s traffic stop at any point. And then beyond that, she’s also trained to apprehend and search for missing missing persons. So whether that be someone who flees from us or simply a a kid that’s gone missing, we can we can track them down.”
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is fundraising to finish outfitting her cruiser with the gear she needs. Residents can support the effort by dropping off donations at the Sheriff’s Office or calling to arrange contributions. Named after the cartoon “Paw Patrol” character, Skye plays a key role in local law enforcement efforts.
Joshua Hamlyn’s full interview with Deputy Chase Weinandy from Franklin County’s National Night Out event on Tuesday, August 5th is available here:
