PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Three new deputies have joined the ranks of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office — and they're ready to sniff out crime.
K-9s Ranger, Ripp and Blake recently completed the sheriff's office patrol school where they were trained in skills like tracking, searches and apprehensions. Deputies say these skills will allow the dogs to assist with things like locating missing people and finding dangerous narcotics.
"Our K-9 team would not be possible without the generous donations of community members. Funds to purchase, train and equip every PSO K-9 comes from these community donations; no taxpayer dollars are used. We are grateful for these donations and the continued support, as it's been a tremendous help in keeping our community safe," the sheriff's office wrote in a release.
Meet the new pups on patrol:
K-9 Ranger and Deputy Case
Ranger is a Belgian Malinois, born on June 6, 2020, in the Czech Republic. He is certified in patrol and explosive detection and serves as a member of the SWAT team. His partner, Deputy Case, joined the sheriff's office in 2021 and works as a member of the unified SWAT team.
K-9 Ripp and Deputy Garcia
Ripp is a Dutch Shepherd, born on June 15, 2020, in the Netherlands. He's a patrol K-9 and plans to work on his narcotics detection certification. His partner, Deputy Garcia, has been a patrol deputy with the sheriff's office since 2014.
K-9 Blake and Deputy Jackson
Blake is a German Shepherd, born on Aug. 28, 2020, in Slovakia. He's on the Highway Interdiction Team where he assists deputies in stopping the trafficking of illegal drugs on major roadways. His partner, Deputy Jackson, joined the sheriff's office in 2014 and became a member of the SWAT team in 2017.
