K9 Unit
This year, the Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit has experienced several significant changes. K9 handler Deputy Coburn was promoted to Sergeant and his partner K9 Eros retired after 8 faithful years of service. Deputy Hamon was selected as a new K9 handler and was joined by his partner K9 Bak. Deputy Hamon and Bak completed the basic K9 academy as well as a SWAT school and have replaced K9 Team Leader Deputy Tucker and K9 Carly on the SWAT team. Deputy Tucker and K9 Carly retired from SWAT after 14 years of service; however, they continue to serve as a patrol team. K9 Handler Deputy Gillespie and K9 Cargo continue to grow as a team and are currently the best tracking pair within the unit.
Every year the K9 Unit participates in numerous
community events that include National Night
Out, Red Ribbon Week, El Dorado County
Sheriff’s Posse Picnic and the Citizens Academy.
The Unit also provides demonstrations and
information to youth throughout the county. This year, they went to five different elementary schools and performed for seven Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops. The K9 Unit continues to try and deter any and all criminal activity possible and to provide additional safety to the deputies and to the public.
The newest additions to the EDSO K9 Team are Deputy Hamon and K9 Bak. Bak is a 2 year old
German Shepard. Bak was born in the Czech Republic and received his initial training in
Schutzhund, Germany. Bak’s initial training included obedience, tracking and protection. All of
Bak’s commands are currently known to him only in German. Bak is teamed with Deputy Hamon
who has been a Deputy Sheriff with the Sheriff’s Office since 2007. Deputy Hamon has held previous
collateral assignments within the Patrol Division including SWAT, CIT, OHV, Honor Guard, and the
Special Enforcement Team.
Deputy Hamon and Bak have attended the California POST Certification Course together which covers obedience, tracking, area and building searches, handler protection and article searches. This K9 team is currently assigned to the Operations Division on Patrol and with the SWAT team. Bak will be utilized in the apprehension of violent criminals, as well as searching for suspects, searching for missing persons, searching for evidence used in the commission of crimes and searching for illegal narcotics.
10