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County law enforcement special units active

Something the sheriff said he’d like to have done years ago has finally been implemented with the help of about $14,000 in local, private donations and other funding sources....Chisago County has two K-9 units.

Handlers are Corporal Berg and Deputy Brandburg who are on-duty with Scout, a 16-month-old Belgian Malinois (pronounced MEL en wah) and Jet, a 3-year-old German Shepherd.

Sheriff Todd Rivard calls this duty a 24-7 assignment and said he is very pleased he has two such responsible, enthusiastic officers wanting to take on this K-9 program.

“Not every officer is able to do this,” said the sheriff. “They have to be compatible with the dogs and willing to undertake the rigors of the program.”

Scout and Jet are dual trained and can sniff out a suspect trail or a variety of contraband, and handle apprehension (take down) tasks.

Berg described Scout as a “stick of dynamite with hair.” Brandenburg says Jet has proven to be a great deterrent to any offender thinking of fleeing or becoming combative.

If you come across either of the officers and their dog give them plenty of space and respect as the dogs are not house pets.

On a side note, Sheriff Rivard also said the newly-formed SWAT unit went operational recently and has done a first-entry into a methamphetamine lab location. The 12-member team has equipped a retro-fitted emergency response vehicle and it’s kept ready to respond. The team’s been training twice each month. “The timing just seemed to be right to get both the K-9 units and the SWAT team functioning, it’s worked out really well,” Rivard added.

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