LAKE COUNTY — The Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) announced the addition of two more K-9 teams to its enforcement division. The LCSO now has a total of four K-9 teams in service.
The two additional teams began training with Adlerhorst International in Southern California with their respective deputy sheriff handlers in March and returned for deployment in the field in late April. One of the two dogs returning from training is a Belgian Shepherd, or “Malinois,” named Djesto. The other is a black Labrador retriever named, Lucia.
Lucia was trained for narcotics interdiction and will join two existing K-9 teams in 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.
Djesto was trained in apprehension and protection and will be engaged in eradication operations to abate illegal marijuana cultivation in the national forest and other federal lands. Djesto and his handler will be scheduled to return to Adlerhorst International for narcotics-detection training soon.
Both Labrador retrievers now in service were donated by Adlerhorst International. Asset forfeiture money seized by the Sheriff”s Narcotics Task Force was used to fund the two Malinois dogs and the training for all four dogs and their handlers at Adlerhorst International.
Sheriff Frank Rivero expressed gratitude to the Lake County Board of Supervisors for approving the two additional K-9 teams. He also thanked Adlerhorst International for donating the two Labradors, valued at more than $14,000, to the LCSO.
