Newest PCSO deputies visit Hill City School

The newest crime-fighting deputies to join the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) visited Hill City students Wednesday, Nov. 4, in the high school theater. 

Ranger, a 3-year-old Yellow Lab named in honor of the Hill City Rangers, and Tiger, a 1-year-old German Shorthair Pointer, named after the New Underwood Tigers, along with their handlers, Travis Leeson and Phillip Rivera, make up the new PCSO K9 unit. 

The dogs’ names were selected by Pennington County Sheriff Brian Mueller and command staff to honor the schools where PCSO School Resource Officers (SRO) are stationed.

“Two Schools. Two K9s. One Community. We are first introducing our K9 units to students at New Underwood and Hill City Schools, where students will get to know these teams. Our vision is to cement a good relationship with these children and the need for a drug-free future,” said Lt. Jason Mitzel.

Hill City’s SRO Chaz Foss made the initial introductions as Leeson and Rivera entered the theater with their energetic, four-legged partners and brought the dogs on stage.

The teams demonstrated how the dogs use their highly trained noses to detect drugs. A piece of cotton containing drug scent was placed on one of four chairs arranged in a row. One at a time, each handler gave their dog the command to begin the search. The two dogs indicate a find in different ways. Ranger found the cotton training aid and sat or laid down to indicate to Leeson that he detected drugs, while Tiger used a natural pointing stance, paw lift or tail position to alert Rivera. Once each dog alerted their handler to the drugs, they were rewarded with a toy. 

Ranger and Tiger came to the PCSO in thanks to Drug Control Funds from South Dakota attorney general Marty Jackley and his team. The primary purpose of the unit is to conduct traffic stops and sweeps of facilities including the jail, Care Campus, Pivot Point and local schools. 

The two canines were bred and trained in Holland and brought to the U.S. where they, along with their handlers, completed a rigorous certification process that included 250 hours of training as a team.

“Once we pass state certification, we’re qualified for a full year to work as a team within the state of South Dakota, and every year we have to renew that certification. The teams must maintaining specific monthly training hours and keeping detailed logs to meet legal standards. 

“And also dog maintenance,” said Rivera, “if you can’t tell, we’re covered in fur.”

The canines don’t just go to work with their handler each day, they also live with them. 

“They get to spend a lot of time together and work together every day,” said Lt. Mitzel. 

Both teams have already been hard at work in the local communities and have a few arrests under their collars.

“This is a force multiplier,” said sheriff Mueller. “We have been wanting to add a specialty drug sniffing unit for some time, to help fight crime and drugs, and assist with missing person searches. I also thank the Pennington County Commission for understanding and supporting our vision for a safer drug-free Pennington County.”