“We are looking to add another K9 to our staff, specifically to help in our fight against illegal narcotics,” said Webster County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Derek Christie. “K9s have always played a vital role in supporting law enforcement operations. With the addition of our grant funded narcotics detective, we know an added K9 will generate more cases, remove narcotics from our streets, and assist in holding narcotics dealers accountable.”

The Webster County Sheriff’s Office currently has K9 Stano, who joined the department in 2023 and is handled by Deputy Tyler Holbrook. Prior to Stano, Swamper served the county for eight years and was handled by Sgt. Tony Walter. Swamper retired and later passed away on Aug. 15, 2024.

According to Christie, the department hopes to add a second K9 to the department with a focus on narcotics and supporting routine law enforcement operations..

“Our K9s have always been an integral part of our investigations and patrol operations,” said Christie. “In addition to tracking suspects or missing persons, our K9s are regularly called upon by our Drug Task Force and our Special Emergency Response Team. Assisting the Drug Task Force and SERT is a crucial task for locating narcotics and apprehending dangerous suspects.”

-Submitted photo
Webster County Sheriff’s Office K9 Stano shows off a narcotics seizure that he played an important role in. The Sheriff’s Office is currently fundraising to bring a second K9 on to the department.

Christie said the K9 would also be deployed on a daily basis for traffic stops, routine calls, and demonstrations for community organizations.

Bringing on a new K9 is expensive with costs for the dog, training, equipment, and ongoing care anticipated to be $25,000 to $30,000, which is why the Webster County Sheriff’s Office is fundraising, as well as asking for donations for the new four-legged officer, instead of asking taxpayers to foot the bill.

“With the current financial atmosphere across all government entities, an additional $30,000 is a large ask for the budget and the taxpayer,” said Christie. “These charitable donations will not only assist in public safety, but are also tax deductible for individuals and businesses.”

The department is hoping to secure funding for the K9 soon so that a deputy can begin the process of trainer and kennel selection as well as participate in the 12-week K9 school with the dog.

According to Christie, having a K9 on staff has been paramount in the fight on drugs in Webster County. Stano and, earlier, Swamper, have been deployed almost weekly and have recorded countless narcotic seizures and fugitive apprehensions.

“His first week on patrol, (Stano) successfully apprehended a violent federal fugitive who surrendered simply because he knew a K9 was present and he did not want to be engaged by a dog,” said Christie. “Deterrents like that are vital to the safety of law enforcement and the public and a great example of the value of K9s across the United States.”

Donations to the Webster County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 fund can be made out to the Fort Dodge Community Foundation, 24 N. Ninth St., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 or sent by Venmo to @FortDodgeCFUW with a memo WCSO K9.