 |
Deputy Joe Trimboli & K9 Esuda
Deputy Zach Putnam & K9 Titan
Deputies Joseph Trimboli and Zachery Putnam were officially welcomed into the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit on June 14th.
In a ceremony attended by their families, Deputies Trimboli and Putnam were awarded the much coveted K-9 lapel pin. K-9 handlers make up less than 1% of the Sheriff’s Office and Law Enforcement Officers in general. It is not an easy process. First they go through a multifaceted tryout process and if they make it through that, they may have to wait months or even years for a chance to become a handler.
Once the opportunity comes they must go through a tough and grueling K-9 school that takes well over 3 months to complete and graduation is not automatic. Many have tried, many have failed. It takes tenacity, blood, sweat, and tears, just to finish the school. It is a physically and mentally demanding course designed to make sure the K-9 handler and their dog are ready to make a successful team on the street. Since they are literally the tip of the spear, they cannot afford to be “sort of ready”; they need to be 100% ready to handle whatever may come their way.
Deputy Trimboli, along with his partner K-9 Esuda and Deputy Putnam, with his partner K-9 Titan, have achieved this ready status by certifying under the standards set forth by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Both are dual purpose teams, meaning they are trained and certified in the disciplines of narcotics detection and K-9 patrol work, which includes locating hiding suspects, lost persons, evidence, and apprehension.
Being a K-9 handler takes the commitment of the entire family. The handler is responsible for their assigned K-9 24/7. Both of these deputies will literally spend more time with their K-9 partner than with any member of their family. The K-9 goes home with the handler and requires attention even on days off. It is truly a tasking the whole family needs to understand and accept.
The danger of the job is very real. K-9 handlers are responsible for locating the very worst of the criminal population doing everything in their power to avoid capture. The K-9 team will go places others fear to tread. It is just part of the job. These brave handlers and their K-9 partner will know firsthand the lengths people will go to escape, but will without hesitation put themselves between these people and the community they are sworn to protect. They are an essential part of the Sheriff’s Office. That is why earning your K-9 badge is such a big deal!
Congratulations to Deputies Zach Putnam and Joe Trimboli and their respective partners.
###
