EPHRATA — An event requiring three K-9 handlers, and two K-9 officers took place at Sun Basin Plaza on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Fortunately, it was for a meet and greet with the public, hosted by the Ephrata Public Library. 

Stewart, along with Grant County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Handler Deputies Zane Bundy and Luis Jimenez presented to a small crowd of area residents at the park and discussed why the K-9 program is important in meeting the goal of keeping the community safe. The dogs serve multiple uses, including identifying suspicious materials, catching and holding suspects and keeping situations from getting out of hand, the officers said.  

“People usually change their attitude and want to give up,” said Moses Lake Police Department K-9 Handler Nick Stewart. “They’re great de-escalation; there’s nothing else like it.”  

Jimenez, who is partnered with K-9 officer Uno, said the overall goal is to keep the public safe but also keep the dogs’ handlers and fellow officers safe as well. Suspects will often be aggressive toward an officer, but once a K-9 gets involved, they often back down because they don’t want to avoid being bitten. The dogs don’t attack maliciously though, Jimenez said, they’re trained instead to bite one location on the body, usually a limb, and hold on. That keeps the suspect from escaping and often temporarily disables them so they can be apprehended.  

Bundy demonstrated one of the means that the K-9s themselves are kept safe using his partner, Malie. A dog-specific tactical vest, running about $5,000 each, is used to protect the animal, Bundy said. The vest is custom-sized to fit its wearer and is stab and bullet-resistant. It allows the dog easy movement in the field while offering protection.  

Keeping the dogs safe while in the vehicle is also important, Stewart said. Each K-9-marked police car is set up with the animal’s comfort in mind. They have water and space to move around, but the cars are set up with more safety in mind than that. If a dog is in the car, the officer will usually leave it running so that the air conditioning keeps the K-9 officer cool. If something happens and the air goes out, sensors automatically trigger windows to roll down and a fan to start circulating air to keep the animal safe. Bars on the window keep the dog from exiting but allow air to flow freely. Additionally, an alarm will start to go off, alerting the K-9's human partner of the issue.  

The cars are also set up with automatic doors that allow the humans in the K-9 pairing to pop the trunk of the car and let their partner out remotely. That way, Jimenez said, the dog can come assist of the officer finds himself in trouble.  

Jimenez said the dogs are important to operations at GCSO and other law enforcement agencies in the area. Teams are often deployed to help in a variety of nearby jurisdictions to serve the community. 

The K-9 program is primarily funded through donations which can be made in cash at the Grant County Sheriff’s Office or by check to the Columbia Basin Foundation. Sales of plushies and shirts at events like the Grant County Fair also support the program. All funds are managed by the Columbia Basin Foundation. 

Jimenez said the dogs can cost several thousand dollars and are chosen based on temperament, breed and other factors.  

Jimenez said those interested in a demonstration or meet and greet with K-9 officers may contact GCSO to arrange for an event which is free.

    Grant County Sheriffs Office Deputy Luis Jimenez with his K-9 partner, Uno, at Rock Park in Ephrata Wednesday afternoon.