SHERIFF’S OFFICE ADDS VEHICLE TO K-9 DIVISION

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office is adding a much needed vehicle to its K-9 division. The Sheriff’s Office purchased a 2004 Crown Victoria for $8,000 from the Eatontown Police Department after its K-9 unit disbanded. “We are grateful Eatontown offered us an opportunity to buy this much needed vehicle for our K-9 division,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “Being able to purchase this vehicle at a cost savings, as well as help provide Eatontown with some financial assistance, is a great example of law enforcement agencies working together, particularly during these tough economic times.”

The 1994 Crown Victoria comes equipped with a K-9 kennel and a heating system that triggers an alarm when the vehicle overheats. Sheriff’s Officer Kurt Kroeper and his K-9 partner Evan will utilize the vehicle for narcotics calls. After the Eatontown Police Department’s only K-9 team retired, there was no longer a need for the vehicle, since the unit disbanded due to budget constraints. “I’m glad we were able to work together with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office to ensure that the vehicle will continue to be put to good use when it comes to fighting crime,” said Eatontown Police Chief Michael Goldfarb.

The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 division presently consists of six Sheriff’s Officers/K-9 handlers and seven dogs; five explosive detection dogs (K-9 Rocky-German Shepherd, K-9 Cida-German Shepherd, K-9 Jake-Golden Retriever, K-9 Lexus-Chesapeake Bay Retriever & K-9 Falko-German Shepherd), one narcotics dog (K-9 Evan-Labrador Retriever) and one tracking dog (K-9 Savannah-Bloodhound). The Sheriff’s Office units are called upon year-round to assist local police departments with explosive detection, narcotic detection and criminal or missing person searches.

Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 units undergo rigorous ongoing training programs to maintain proficiency in basic skills and ensure continued effective performance in the field. Each K-9 team must complete a state-mandated 10-week training course at a certified K-9 training facility. After completion of this initial training, Sheriff’s K-9 teams must maintain at least eight hours of in-service training each month. “While law enforcement agencies are faced with cutting back on their K-9 units, we realize how important it is to maintain our division, in an effort for our highly trained K-9 teams to continue to provide vital services throughout Monmouth County,” said Sheriff Golden.