(KNSI) – The Benton County Sheriff’s Office’s newest furry four-legged deputy has arrived.
Kajin Duke is a two-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd from Slovakia. The name Kajin means ‘god of fire,’ and Duke was picked by DARE students. He’s been teamed up with Handler David Bonfield.
The two met for the first time on Saturday, and Bonfield told KNSI News it was love at first sight. “It was instant awesomeness. We started bonding instantly, and he’s been very well-behaved. I’ve had no issues with him at home in the interim because they come completely untrained. He’s been really awesome.”
Bonfield says the two begin their intense 12-week patrol dog training on Monday. “June 1st, he should be on the streets of Benton County, patrolling, looking for bad guys, tracking down missing kids and finding drugs in people’s cars where they shouldn’t be.”
This is Bonfield’s first time as a K9 cop, but it’s something he’s always wanted to do over his 20-year career. He’s been with Benton County for a little more than a year after previously serving with the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office and Melrose Police Departments.
The team will replace another squad lost in March 2024 after the officer left for another department. Minnesota statute allows a K9 officer to take their dog with them if they’ve partnered for five years or more, provided they pay the county for the dog.
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