York County Sheriff’s Office introduces newest K9 Officer
YORK, Pa. — The York County Sheriff’s Office on Monday introduced its newest K9 officer.
Writing on its Facebook page, the Sheriff’s Office officially welcomed K9 Officer Mason to its department.
Mason, a bloodhound, successfully completed training with the National Association of Professional Canine Handlers, along with his partner, Corporal Rick Wolf, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The York County Sheriff’s Office has a long and proud tradition of working with bloodhounds,” the Facebook post said. “K9 Mason will carry on the legacy established by K9 Lou and K9 Prince, continuing a tradition of service that has played an important role in our community for many years.”
According to the Sheriff’s Office, bloodhounds provide an invaluable resource to law enforcement, assisting in the tracking of fugitives and locating missing and endangered persons.
“They also serve a vital role as members of the York County District Attorney’s Office C.A.R.E. Team (Child Abduction Response Effort), where their specialized tracking abilities can be critical during the most urgent and challenging investigations,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
Mason’s training began when he was just 10 weeks old. Over the past six months, Wolf and Mason “dedicated countless hours to developing and mastering the skills necessary to become a successful tracking team,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
In addition to the York County Sheriff’s Office’s in-house trainers and master trainer, Jim and Terry Heck of Summit Search and Rescue generously assisted with Mason’s training and development, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Mason and Wolf were officially certified last week. Less than 24 hours after finishing their training, Wolf and Mason were called to assist with their first search, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
The K9 officer and his partner were asked to help search for a local senior who was missing after leaving his home. Mason was able to pick up the man’s scent, and he and Wolf were following the track when other officers were able to find the man — who was further along the path Mason was tracking, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“We are proud to have (Mason) as part of the York County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, and we look forward to watching you carry on the proud bloodhound tradition of K9 Lou and K9 Prince,” the Sheriff’s Office said.