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POST Academy graduates have four legs, keen noses and unmatched loyalty

UCSO K-9
UCSO K-9
UCSO K-9.PNG
Posted at 3:20 PM, Feb 21, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-21 17:48:27-05

PROVO — The Utah County Sheriff’s Office has seven new deputies.

The recent graduates of the POST Academy have a lot in common, including four legs and extremely keen noses, as well as unmatched fearlessness and loyalty.

READ:15 pounds of cocaine found in car on I-15 outside Cedar City

The new K-9 deputies were congratulated in a post on the department’s Facebook page.

Deputy Lance McDaniel renewed his Instructor and Judge in Narcotics Detection and Explosives Detection through the Utah POST Program. He and his K-9 partner Loki are now certified to work as a team in explosive detection.

Deputy Garrett Dutson and his K-9 partner Jack are also now certified as a team in explosive detection. Deputy Dutson is a new handler while Jack has worked and certified with a previous handler.

Deputy Daniel Dukatz and his K-9 partner Kash certified as a narc detection team and Deputy Dukatz earned his narcotics instructor certification.

READ: 'Maya' one of five K-9 officers killed in line of duty in Salt Lake County since 2010

Deputy Brad Ryan also earned an explosive instructor certification during this course along with Deputy Mike Graf and Deputy Greer Haymond. Additionally, Deputy Greer Haymond and Deputy Mike Graf received their explosive detection Judge through the Utah POST Program.

This class graduated 7 K-9 teams in all. Provo Police Department, Payson Police Department, American Fork Police Department, and Santaquin Police Department all have new K-9 teams in either explosive detection or narcotics detection.

The post wraps up by saying these teams will do amazing work in their careers and deserve a huge shout out for all their hard work.