He growls, walks on four legs and tends to get frisky on the job.
His name is Devon, and he is the furry half of the Wise County Sheriff's Department’s K-9 drug dog unit made possible by Devon Energy.
This sheriff's department in north Texas hadn’t had a drug dog for many years prior to Devon’s contribution, said Sheriff David Walker. The dog has helped address drug problems faced by Wise County and thousands of other counties across the nation.
“In today's time, having a drug dog in the law enforcement field is valuable,” Walker said. “You need every tool you can get.”
Devon the drug dog is a Belgian Malinois purchased from a specialty animal training company in San Antonio. His duties extend beyond those of most county law officers.
Many of the schools in the county contract with the sheriff's department to have Devon sweep the school when they suspect drugs are on the premises.
“It's not just for us. Yes, Devon bought the dog for us, but they bought it for the whole county,” Walker said.