On Thursday, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office announced the installment of a new K-9 unit.

Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthum said the two K-9 units will have a $5,000 drug dog, which was purchased between Valley Grande City Council and a Dallas County resident.

This addition will help with the drug problems that the sheriff’s office faces in the county.

That is the main purpose of K-9 units.

Their primary tasks include drug interdiction and tracking along with locating and apprehending fleeing criminals or missing persons. Some K-9s are even able to locate bombs, bomb materials and cadavers.

The K-9 units are trained for multiple purposes, which makes them a vital part of any law enforcement group.

Generally, K-9 officers spend their days on patrol, assisting in calls for service, and making traffic stops until needed. Some agencies have tasked their K-9 officers with specific drug interdiction duties. In these agencies, handlers work with their K-9 partner and another officer to conduct traffic stops and locate contraband, including illegal drugs and money.

K-9 handlers undergo extensive training with their partners. Depending on the state, officers can expect to receive hundreds of hours of initial training before teams can be certified.

Additionally, teams participate in ongoing and continuous education and training on an almost weekly basis to remain fresh and maintain their certifications.

Law enforcement, in general, continues to be an in-demand job around the United States, and agencies are devising plans to put more officers on the road despite budget cuts and constraints.

“Public safety is our number one issue and that’s what I ran my campaign on,” Valley Grande Mayor Matt Dobbs said. “Everyone in our community wants to feel safe. The city of Valley Grande wants to support Sheriff Granthum and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.”

We applaud the sheriff’s office for adding these units to the arsenal that is keeping our county and cities safe.

This is a valuable tool that will benefit us all.