Marshall County Sheriff’s office to purchase a new K-9 unit

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office takes public safety seriously and is currently in the process of purchasing a dual purpose police K-9 dog. Some of the duties of the K-9 dog will be to assist deputies with detecting narcotics in buildings, during traffic stops or other situations involving and detecting drugs. The K-9 dog will be skilled in detecting 10 different drugs. Additionally, this K-9 unit will be used during situations where a violent or potentially violent subject is assaultive, armed or attempts to flee from deputies. The department’s dog will be trained in tracking human scent giving officers an important asset to assist them in locating missing children and/or adults, situations involving suicidal individuals, or criminal who have fled a crime scene. 

Deputy Gillund has been assigned and is excited to take on the new role of K-9 officer for the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Gillund resides in the Middle River area and has been with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office for the past six years and has a total of 11 years in Law Enforcement. Deputy Gillund will be responsible to attend the 15 day handler training in Iowa. This is a huge responsibility and takes a dedicated individual to accept this role. 

Marshall County Sheriff’s Office is currently working with a trainer near Ft. Dodge, Iowa who predominantly uses K-9 police dogs that come from Europe and will be pre trained prior to being brought to Iowa. Europe is well known for producing the majority of animals that are used as K-9 police dogs. The department’s K-9 dog will likely be a Belgian Malinois. This breed is primarily a working dog used for personal protection, drug and/or discarded item detection, tracking of suspects and/or missing children/adults. This breed is used by the United States Secret Service, and the United States Navy SEALSs. Once this trainer locates a dog suitable to meet required needs, the K-9 dog will be brought to Iowa to begin the 15 day training process with Deputy Gillund. Here Deputy Gillund will learn how to effectively work with his new K-9 partner and become a team that will be certified and utilized in Marshall County. 

Purchasing and maintaining a dual purpose Police K-9 dog is very costly. 

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office welcomes any person or organization to make a monetary donation towards this project.