Sheriff’s Department K9s wow elementary school students at County Fair

BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WTRF) — Twelve hundred elementary school students converged on the Belmont County Fair this morning.

Not to ride the rides but to meet the K9s from the sheriff’s department.

They watched as K9s Xyrem and Maximus demonstrated how to apprehend a criminal.

They also met, and got to pet, the beloved Courthouse therapy dog, Jersey the St. Bernard.

It was a bonding day that Sheriff Dave Lucas has held at the fair for several years.

You think a dog is your pet, and it is. They’re very close to them. But they are a police officer by code, by law. And they’re very well trained. In the high-risk situation, the dogs are deployed and used for the safety not only of the officer but also the community.”

Sheriff Dave Lucas, Belmont County

The sheriff noted that two weeks ago, K9 Xyrem–just by his presence–was able to de-escalate a long, tense domestic standoff.

The dog didn’t have to be deployed.

One of the students asked how fast the K9s could run.

His handler answered, “Faster than any human we’ve ever seen.”

The sheriff said this event is also to let children know that law enforcement officers are people they can always turn to for help.

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