These four-legged deputies help keep Walton County drug-free and find those that try to run.
Remember . . . you can run, but we will find you!

The Walton County Sheriff's Office Canine Unit has been in use for many decades. The unit currently has six (6) active certified canine teams, consisting of one (1) handler and one (1) canine. The unit utilizes various breed of dogs, to include Labrador Retrievers, Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, and Bloodhounds. The handlers and their canines work various shifts within the department in order to to be available at anytime.

The primary functions of the WCSO K9 Unit are narcotics detection and personnel tracking. All canines at a minimum, except Bloodhounds, are certified in the detection of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine. The canines are most often used on traffic stops, although they are also trained to search buildings and packages for narcotics. Three dogs, including the Bloodhounds, are trained for personnel tracking so they can be deployed anywhere in the county to locate fleeing subjects or missing persons. Two of the canines are also trained to conduct article searches. During an article search, in a field for example, the canine can be used to locate discarded guns, shell casings, and other items that could be of evidentiary value value.

The WCSO K9 Unit are certified annually through the Mid-South Police Canine Association based in North Carolina. The certification is a two-day process that includes training activities as well as test of the canine's detection abilities and the handler's skills in utilizing the canine.

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