Retired K-9s get new use for their noses in Summit County jail

AKRON , Ohio (WJW) — After law enforcement K-9s trained to detect marijuana were retired and replaced following the legalization of cannabis in Ohio, the Summit County jail is finding a new use for their noses.

Summit County Sheriff Kandy Fatheree announced Thursday that the sheriff’s office is launching a new program in which drug-detecting K-9s will help prevent illegal substances from getting inside the jail.

“While recreational cannabis may now be legal to use in Ohio, it is still illegal to have it or any other drugs in our jail,” Fatheree is quoted in a news release.

The K-9s will be paired with a handler, the release said, and the two will work in the jail’s intake to create a third layer of detection. Currently, inmates coming into the jail are physically patted down and their body is scanned by special technology.

The first K-9 in the program is named Max. Fatheree said she anticipates more dogs will be added to the team to make sure every shift at the jail is covered. The sheriff said once there are enough K-9s to cover intake, they may also be used to do jail sweeps.

The dogs are specially trained to sniff out cannabis, but also to detect dangerous narcotics that can lead to overdoses and deaths, the release said, and because they’re coming to the jail pre-trained, it’s saving the county money.

“This new initiative will make our jail safer for our deputies and inmates alike, at little to no cost to the county,” said Fatheree. “It’s a win-win for our community.”

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