Sheriff's Office adopts new patrol canine from American Valor Foundation

The Henderson County Commissioners Court convened on July 10, 2025, to discuss several agenda items, with a significant focus on the adoption of a new patrol canine for the sheriff's office.

The meeting began with Sheriff David Robertson addressing the court regarding the need for a new canine. He explained that one of the current K9 handlers, Deputy David Robertson, has been promoted to lieutenant, and his partner, K9 Khan, is aging and nearing the end of his service life. Due to Khan's age, the sheriff decided to keep him with Lieutenant Robertson rather than transfer him to another handler, allowing Khan to remain available for jail searches and other duties without the stress of additional training.

Sheriff Robertson then introduced the proposal to adopt a new canine, sponsored by the American Valor Foundation and trained by the Canine Global Training Academy. The new dog will be dual certified for search and rescue, apprehensions, and narcotics detection. Deputy Jonathan Dolley is set to become the new handler and will undergo training at the academy in Somerset, Texas, for approximately five to six weeks if the court approves the adoption.

During the discussion, court members inquired about the current canine roster, which includes the new bomb dog Atticus, along with K9s Veil and Khan. The sheriff noted that the new dog would be selected based on compatibility with Deputy Dolley, as the academy pairs dogs with handlers based on their personalities.

The court concluded the discussion with no objections, indicating a positive reception to the proposal. The adoption of the new canine is expected to enhance the capabilities of the sheriff's office and support ongoing law enforcement efforts in Henderson County.