Sheriff unleashes drug-sniffing dogs, Tango and Kash

One of new police canines is believed to be only law-enforcement drug dog in U.S. trained to detect prescription narcotics.

Warren County deputies (from left) Kelly Hammonds with his new dog Tango and Brian Lewis with his new dog Kash, show off their drug-sniffing dogs Friday, Dec. 4, during a news conference at the sheriff’s office in Lebanon.

Staff photo by Pat Auckerman Warren County deputies (from left) Kelly Hammonds with his new dog Tango and Brian Lewis with his new dog Kash, show off their drug-sniffing dogs Friday, Dec. 4, during a news conference at the sheriff’s office in Lebanon.

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer Updated 10:32 AM Saturday, December 5, 2009

LEBANON — Warren County’s newest team of canines were unleashed on drug crime Friday, Dec. 4.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the county’s Drug Task Force introduced Tango and Kash, who went into service this week after receiving their certifications.

John Burke, drug task force commander, said Kash is believed to be the only law enforcement drug dog in the nation trained to detect not only prescription drugs, such as Xanax, but also in detecting U.S. currency.

“This is new ground and we’re very excited about it,” Burke said.

Of the 1,500 dogs in the U.S. Customs Service, Burke said none can sniff out prescription narcotics. He did say there were some private companies that have similarly trained dogs.

Kash is certified to detect illicit drugs by the North American Police Dog Association and has been trained to detect prescription drugs in pill form as well as the pure product.

Kash, a Belgian malinois who answers to commands in Dutch, would be used in consent searches and executing search warrants, Burke said.

The need for a dog to be able to detect prescription drugs is rising as pharmaceutical drug trafficking is growing, Burke said.

The county’s other new canine, a German shepherd named Tango, is trained as a law enforcement dog and as a tracker as well to detect illicit drugs.

Each of the specially trained dogs cost about $5,000 to $8,000 and were paid for through asset forfeitures and grants from the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators. No county funds were used to purchase the dogs, said Burke and Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims.

Sims noted the county’s other dog, Kilo has been in service for three years. He said the cost to maintain the black Labrador is about $600 a year, and the county receives free services from a local veterinarian.

Sims noted Kilo has helped to seize assets in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“As an agency, we’re excited about this,” Sims said.

Contact this reporter at  (513) 696-4504 or erichter@coxohio.com.

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But alchol is still leagal all though it is responsible for more deaths then all controlled substancces combined!!!!Some people make no sense if you are high why would you leave the house?

snoopert
7:27 PM, 1/28/2010

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Amazing how many people are willing to surrender their fourth amendment rights in the name of the 'war' on drugs. If you want to give up your rights fine but please leave mine alone! Idiots! The only people who benefit from this so called 'war' are the drug testing 'industry' and the prison 'industry.'

j davis
7:48 PM, 1/3/2010

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the Montgomery Co Sheriff is awsome and is a professional at his job, if anyone has a problem, maybe they should try an become a sheriff.

pam
12:26 PM, 12/11/2009

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to the other resident posting on here....I bet the Warren County Sheriff isnt getting his budget cut like Plummer is.....Hard to do crime work when you dont have the manpower. Thats what happens when the commissioners are to lazy to do their job and hire someone like Deb Feldman who makes $182,300 a year or close to that amount....Wonder if Warren county has a County Administrator who does nothing but collect a pay check from the county like Feldman does

Mont Co res also
3:23 PM, 12/6/2009

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Sheeple please, the biggest drug pushers on the planet are doctors,and the war in Afghanistan is about dope.Poppies are what our troops are protecting to the tune of over 600 billion dollars a year. Do your research and you will find what I am saying is true. Google this, The Afgan golden crescent drug trade.Turn off that tv and turn on your minds you are being lied to everyday by the controlled media.

Truth
Peace

free
9:01 AM, 12/6/2009

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