Ten teams make up the Plymouth County Sheriff's K9 Unit. Each team consists of one deputy and one dog, which train, work and live together 24/7. The Unit falls within the Sheriff's Field Services Division and is under the command of K9 Operations Lt. Paul Foran and K9 Training Lt. Mark Correia.

The Unit's primary function is the patrol of the Plymouth County Correctional Facility and perimeter. The Unit also assists local police in locating fugitives, missing persons and drug searches. The Sheriff operates a training school for novice and veteran law enforcement K9s and their handlers. As a public service, teams often perform demonstrations for schools and at community events.

2009 BY THE NUMBERS

*K9 responded to 587 calls for assistance in 2009, up from 490 in 2008.

*Of the calls in 2009, 351 came from local police departments with the remainder from the Correctional Facility, Bridgewater State College, Environmental Police, Warrant Unit back-up, and out of county calls.

*Tracking missing persons or suspects and drug searches made up the majority of call outs.

*In 2009, the K9 Unit recovered drugs on 35 occasions and brought 30 people in custody.

*In 2009, Lt. Mark Correia certified six new K9 teams in Basic Patrol Academies, including two PCSD teams, a Raynham Police Team, a Somerville PD team, and two deputies teams from the Middlesex County Sheriff's office.

Lt. Paul Foran & K9 Wolf

Lt. Foran’s Experience: Member of PCSD K-9 Unit since 1988
K-9 Wolf: German Shephard. Born March 2000.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics
Lt. Foran’s Retired K-9 Partners:
K-9 Jago, German Shepherd, 1988-1995
K-9 Rowdy, Belgian Malinois, 1995-2001

Sgt. Jim Noland & K9 Dargo

Sgt. Noland’s Experience: Member of the PCSD K-9 Unit since 1993
K-9 Dargo: German Shepherd. Born October 2004.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics
Career Highlights: Locating several elderly missing persons, narcotics finds
Sgt. Noland’s Retired K-9 Partners:
K-9 Mangus, 1993-1998
K-9 Falk, 1998-2005

Deputy Pat Charette & K9 Hondo

Dep. Simmons' Experience: Member of the PCSD K-9 Unit since 1999
K-9 Bak: German Shepherd. Born 2005.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics
Dep. Simmons' Retired K-9 Partners:
K-9 Haro, deceased

Deputy Dennis Desroches & K9 Cedar

Dep. Desroches' Experience: Member of the PCSD K-9 Unit since 2007
K-9 Cedar: German Shepherd. Born November 2006.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics
Career Highlights: Locating a missing dementia patient in Halifax

Deputy James Creed & K9 Rony

Dep. Creed's Experience: Member of the PCSD K-9 Unit since 2007
K-9 Rony: German Shepherd. Born November 2006.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics

Deputy Kevin Ardini & K9 Bodo

Dep. Ardini's Experience: Member of the PCSD K-9 Unit since 2008
K-9 Bodo: German Shepherd. Born March 2007.
Training: Patrol, Narcotics

Sheriff McDonald and the K9 Unit present a retirement plaque to K9 Reno’s handler Deputy Pat Charette. See Reno’s Retirement story: HERE