Lafayette, Louisiana, K9 Officer Hangs Up His Badge

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - Dogs have become regular members of Louisiana police departments, and the Lafayette Sheriff's Office is no exception. K9 officers are given a proverbial badge after intense training and serve many different roles within their respective departments.

K9s are most known for their work with narcotics units. In recent years, they are valuable assets to their handlers in the jail, assisting with search and rescue, participate in the apprehension of suspects, and are members of the SWAT teams.

The dogs are often in as much danger as their human counterparts, and some have sadly died in the line of duty.

According to the National Police Dog Foundation, various breeds begin training between the age of 12 and 15 months. German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are the most popular breeds for K9 officers, but other breeds are used as well.

They are generally retired after 7 years of service or at the age of 10 and, most often, go live with their handlers.

In December, Thunder, a Dutch Shepherd, retired from the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department. Thunder served with LPSO for 8 years, since 2016.

According to LPSO, Thunder played a vital role in apprehending more than 100 suspects and getting hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics off the streets.

He will continue to live a wonderful life in retirement filled with naps and treats with his handler.

Thank you, Thunder, for your service to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department and to the people of Lafayette. Well done!

LPSO plans to add another K9 to their force soon to fill Thunder's spot.