K-9 Ace is adjusting well to his new role as a Lyon County deputy.
Ace wasn’t part of KVOE’s Morning Show interview Wednesday morning, but Sheriff Jeff Cope and Ace’s handler, Deputy Nathan Rankin, both say they are glad to have Ace on the force. Cope says the effort to bring Ace to Emporia was over a year in the making, involving a grant from the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, in-kind support from local businesses like Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply, Hills Pet Food, Midwest Concrete and Tractor Supply Company and an anonymous donation.
Rankin says his training resembled basic law enforcement work with the addition of the canine component, including the psychology of the animal.
Rankin volunteered for the role.
Cope says Ace, a nearly 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, is trained for several roles under two main categories.
Belgian Malinois dogs can generally be between 22-26 inches tall and anywhere from 40-80 pounds, depending on the gender. The breed has been used in law enforcement since the 1890s in Europe, becoming more widespread across the United States over the last 50 years.
Cope says another unnamed deputy was interested in training and handling Ace. In a perfect world, the Sheriff’s Office would have two K-9s on duty. That does not appear likely unless the workload changes.
