SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. – Spokane County is taking a significant step toward tackling the drug crisis, with local law enforcement receiving two of the first K-9 units in Washington State trained to detect fentanyl.
One K-9 unit is joining the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, while another is heading at the Airway Heights Police Department. The Airway Heights Police Department believes this development could play a crucial role in combating the local drug crisis.
The department has adopted a K-9 named Kimber, a Belgian Malinois trained specifically to detect fentanyl and other narcotics. This initiative aims to address the rising overdose deaths caused by fentanyl, which Officer Michael Ziegler emphasized as a daily issue.
“Fentanyl crisis right now as you know is out of control, so it’s gonna be a game changer to help us find those illegal narcotics that are out there on the street,” Ziegler stated.
The urgency of this initiative is backed by data from the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drugs, and Alcohol Institute, showing that fentanyl rose in prominence from less than 9% of crime lab submissions in 2020 to 58% in the last year.
Officers underscore the importance of this new tool. “I mean we’re seeing a majority of the drugs we’re seeing on the streets is fentanyl or stuff that is laced with fentanyl; there’s a lot of methamphetamines, cocaine, other opioid pills,” added Ziegler.
Furthermore, the Airway Heights Police Department rescues all their K-9s from adoption centers, giving these dogs a second chance at life. Officer Byrant Baker, Kimber’s handler noted, “It’s a big deal having these dogs.”
This initiative represents a proactive move by local law enforcement to address and mitigate the effects of the drug crisis in Spokane County.
