The Sheriff recognized that conducting an effective investigation of criminal offenses often requires the use of specialized tools and techniques. Because of the canines’ superior sense of smell and hearing, these new deputy dogs will be an invaluable enhancement of routine patrol activities and in assisting with specialized police investigations.

The Sheriff’s K9 Unit’s dogs are trained for a variety of duties. Locating narcotics, explosives, people, evidence in crimes as well as apprehension and officer protection.

Each K9 Team (dog and handler) is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each team utilizes a vehicle tailored to its work duties and for the k9’s safety. The vehicles are outfitted with compartments for the dogs that are made for their comfort but also their safety. A special temperature monitoring system will open windows and turn on a fan if the air conditioning fails or the vehicle stalls during hot weather. There is also a “prisoner compartment” for the safe transport of those under arrest.

Our call’s for 2008 were:

• Tracking – 169
• Narcotics – 470
• Explosives – 28
• Area searches – 116
• Building searches – 108
• K-9 Demonstrations – 77

Our call’s to date (September) for 2009 :

• Tracking – 201
• Narcotics – 389
• Explosives – 20
• Area searches – 120
• Building searches – 95
• K-9 Demonstrations – 46
• Apprehensions – 219

Some of the cases the K9 Unit is most proud of don’t involve criminals but helping people.

• A 7 year old child who accidently got locked out of her home in the winter and took shelter in a car in an apartment parking lot. She was suffering from hypothermia when located by one of our canines.
• A lost 84 year old man who had fallen in a dense wooded area and had been gone for 3 days. The area was so over grown that a helicopter with night imaging equipment could not find him. The K9 unit was called out and located him, alive.
• An Alzheimer patient walked away from his home in Richmond. Three hours later, a K-9 was called out and found the man some distance away.

Yes, the unit also catches criminals. The K9 Unit has assisted in numerous arrests for crimes including Homicide, Sexual Assault, Home Invasion, Domestic Violence, Narcotics, Larceny from Vehicles and others. At the request of school officials, our narcotics dogs regularly do school searches. Our explosives dogs respond to security threats. These are a sample of our cases.

• On their first shift as a k-9 team, one of our dogs was called to the Port Huron Area for a track of a rape suspect. On the track, discarded clothing/ evidence was found and the suspect was located hiding in a wooded area and taken into custody.
• On a Sunday morning, one of our k-9 teams was called out from home to assist road patrol deputies with a fresh home invasion. The suspect was fleeing on foot in a residential area. The suspect was found in a yard with an elderly couple doing yard work outside. The k-9 was deployed and an apprehension was made with no injuries to the citizens.
• Our k-9’s assisted with the Grant and Johnson homicides.
• A k-9 team was dispatched to assist with a home invasion during the winter. A suspect had been confronted in the home and chased off by the home owner. A track was done that went over two miles. The suspect was found in a wooded park area. When given the choice of facing the dog or surrender, he chose to peacefully surrender.

The Sheriff’s K9 Unit services are also available to assist any police agency. Some of the agencies the K9 Unit has assisted include Homeland Security, DEA, along with police agencies throughout Macomb, Wayne, Oakland and St. Clair Counties.

MCSO K9 Units also make a number of public appearances throughout the year for activities such as:
• School Programs
• Civic Functions
• K-9 Demonstrations

Our teams are very proud of the variety of services we offer and the effectiveness of our k9 partners.

Sheriff Mark Hackel would like to especially thank those citizens who through their generosity have helped get the Macomb County Sheriff’s K9 Teams off to a memorable and productive start. Because of your support, this community will be provided quality police services as effectively as possible.

If you would like more information about your Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit or would like to include them in an upcoming event, please contact us at macombsheriff.com.

Police Dog Facts:

• Dogs are the oldest known domesticated animals.
• There is proof that dogs were used in the day of the caveman to hunt food and protect the cave.
• The first American cities to use trained police dogs were South Orange, New Jersey in March, 1907 and New York, New York in October of 1907.
• Detroit was the first in Michigan to have K9’s starting around 1917.
• There have been approximately 3,250 (as of 1996) police canine programs in 2,500 different police / sheriff forces since the dog concept came to America. All but 14 of these have been implemented since January, 1954.
• Today, there are approximately 7,000 police dog teams in the United States.

Our K-9's

K9 Harley

K9 “Harley” is a German Shepherd. Harley was born in Czechoslovakia on 10/05/2004. Harley joined the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in the spring of 2006. Harley and his handler, Deputy Clifton Morgan, received their K9 training through the Macomb Community College. Harley was sworn in as a Deputy K9 by Sheriff Mark Hackel on 07/14/2006. Harley and Deputy Morgan currently work the midnight shift together and patrol the County of Macomb.

Harley’s education includes officer protection, building and article searches, tracking, and narcotic detection. Harley’s commands are given to him by hand and voice. Harley’s favorite chew toy is a small wagon tire. Harley loves to play with kids and continues to make new friends each day. When Harley is off duty, he lives at home with Deputy Morgan and his family, and enjoys swimming in a pond on their farm. .

K9 Nitro

K9 “Nitro” is a two-year old German Shepherd dog from Czechoslovakia. Deputy Dan Degraw and Nitro became a team on September 3, 2008. Nitro is trained in bomb/explosives detection, tracking, and handler protection. He lives with Deputy Dan Degraw at his house with his other dogs. He loves to run and play in his backyard and chase his favorite toy. Nitro comes to work with his handler every day and is always ready to do his job. The two of them work very hard to stay ready in case they are needed by training almost every day.

K9 Zeke

“Zeke” is a German Shepherd who is born in the Czech Republic on August 5, 2007. Thanks to Sheriff Mark Hackel, “Zeke” became Deputy Szlaga’s partner in 2008. K9 “Zeke” has been trained in tracking, building searches, article searches, suspect apprehension and narcotics detection. When “Zeke” isn’t on patrol he’s at home with Deputy Kevin Szlaga playing with his family and friends.

K9 Hewey

K9 “Hewey” is a four-year old Labrador Retriever born in the United States. Hewey joined the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office in December 2001. He is certified with the North American Police Work Dog Association and is trained for Narcotics Detection. When Hewey is not on duty, he lives with his partner, Deputy Mark Morfino.