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CPSO donates K-9 to David Wade Correctional Center

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VIDEO: https://youtu.be/sj5d2nLDk8Q

It was a bittersweet Valentine’s Day for the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office as deputies said goodbye to K-9 Shep who has a new home in Homer, said Sheriff Steve Prator.

Shep was a stray caught and cared for by Desoto Parish Animal Services. He joined CPSO in 2021 and was transferred to David Wade Correctional Center (DWCC) on Monday.

In 2020, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office successfully put its first rescued K-9 deputy, Rougie, to work. Rougie came from the Humane Society of Northwest Louisiana. His success as a drug detector encouraged CPSO to give more shelter dogs a second chance. 

CPSO’s K-9 Trainer, Dep. Leroy Azlin, tested 289 dogs from several shelters and found two more who can get the job done, Abigail and Shep.

Abigail is slated to be partnered with a deputy. However, due to a shortage in manpower, it has been tough to find a handler for Shep. “We had to look for another avenue to get him back to serving the public,” said Dep. Azlin. Deputies then found a solution to their dilemma once they recognized a need at DWCC.

“We believe in sharing our resources with other agencies, as law enforcement is a big family,” said Sheriff Prator. “We’re also very fortunate to have a gifted trainer in Deputy Azlin and we are excited to see the great work Shep will do in the future.”

Capt. Dakota Nalitt who works at DWCC will now be Shep’s K-9 handler. The two are expected to work together to ensure the prison is drug-free by scanning dormitories and vehicles entering the prison grounds.

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