The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is proud to welcome its newest working dog, K-9 Dozer, a 16-month-old Springer Spaniel specially trained in drug detection.
K-9 Dozer has been assigned to the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) Team and will work primarily in undercover and drug operations throughout Deschutes County and the tri-county region. Dozer was trained by Golden Gate K9 under certified trainer Frank Romano.
Dozer is a four-odor drug detection dog, trained to detect methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Adding him to the K-9 team strengthens local drug enforcement capabilities, as there are currently only a limited number of odor-detection dogs available in the region. Dozer arrived in late December for an introduction with his new handler and will begin field operations in early 2026.
With Dozer’s arrival, DCSO now has five working dogs, including:
- Three patrol K-9s (Delta, Ronin, and Vinnie)
- One digital forensics detection K-9 (Cache)
- One drug detection K-9 (Dozer)
Sheriff Ty Rupert emphasized the importance of continued investment in drug enforcement efforts.
“Drug investigations play a vital role in improving public safety and preventing dangerous drugs from entering our communities, which often lead to increased crime,” said Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert. “K-9 Dozer improves our ability to identify and disrupt illegal drug activity while ensuring the safety of our community, deputies, and partner agencies across Central Oregon.”
In addition to CODE operations, K-9 Dozer will be available to assist DCSO patrol deputies and other Central Oregon law enforcement agencies as needed.
