LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) announced the addition of two narcotics interdiction K-9 teams to its enforcement division. Two more K-9 teams are scheduled to leave for training this month and by the end of April, LCSO will have a total of four K-9 teams in service for narcotics detection and interdiction.
One of two dogs returning this week from training is a Belgian shepherd, or “Malinois.” The other is a black labrador retriever. Both were trained in narcotics detection. These two dogs and their handlers are now in service, detecting narcotics in probation searches, parole searches, sex registrant searches, search warrant services, and traffic stops. The dogs will also be used for conducting searches at schools to provide a drug-free environment for children.
Two additional teams, another Malinois and black labrador retriever, will begin training with Adlerhorst International in Southern California with their respective deputy sheriff handlers and are expected to go into service in late April. Both will be trained for narcotics interdiction and will be used in similar searches.
The two labradors were both donated by Adlerhorst International. Asset forfeiture monies seized by the Narcotics Task Force, the profits of narcotics trafficking, are being used to fund the two Malinois dogs and the training for all four dogs and their handlers at Adlerhorst International.
Sheriff Frank Rivero expressed his gratitude to the Lake County Board of Supervisors for approving the second two additional K-9 teams. He also thanked Adlerhorst International for donating the two labradors, valued at more than $14,000, to the Lake County Sheriff”s Office.
On Thursday night at about 11 p.m. “Gracie” was deployed on one of her first traffic stops in Lower Lake.
While the driver was detained for driving on a suspended driver”s license, the dog alerted to several areas of the vehicle. Deputies focused a search on those areas and located narcotics paraphernalia. The driver, Julie Lord, 49, of Lower Lake was also found to be in possession of suspected methamphetamine and determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance.
Lord was subsequently arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail for possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
