FLEMINGSBURG – Fleming County Fiscal Court met Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 9 a.m. where county Sheriff Tim Smith discussed the continuing canine training with the sheriff’s department as well as Dispatch Supervisor Charlotte Benton discussing about the new CAD system that is going to officially begin being operational.
Beginning with the canine training Smith stated, “Dave’s Welsh completed the canine training hit the ground running first day out got a little bit of drugs and dogs very keen to all of that stuff so we’re in the process of working with our local prosecution to get us some more equipment to help with the detection and stuff like that.”
Through training sessions for the canine unit, Smith described how out of all of the canine units that were trained and evaluated the Fleming units were the best.
“I have been around our previous canines here at the Sheriff’s office and other counties, our previous Sheriff’s canines weren’t very aggressive” Smith stated.
Canines have to be able to sniff and detect substances so having the right smells that the dogs can train on is vitally important for the ability to locate and detect those substances.
A fiscal court member raised questions about what the dogs are exactly trained on and Smith stated, “Your basic ones marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and that’s one of the things we want to send some requests in for some of our current dope that is already processed out so that he stays updated on fresh smells.”
Smith continued to explain how the canine trains weekly with an instructor and it is imperative to update the smells that are used for the training so the canine can be alert and know all of the current and updated substances.
Benton discussed the new CAD system that is officially in operation this week and ready for the dispatch center to use it and continue to train on the new system.
“We’re learning I think is what the Sheriff said everybody likes the system there are things that we have to tweak there’s other things we’ve got to learn but overall it’s a big enhancement and improvement for us, the dispatchers and the officers it’s a big improvement for all of us so we’re appreciative for the new CAD system” Benton stated.
CAD stands for “computer aid dispatch” and with it Benton stated that the officers will start to be able to do their own stuff in terms of paperwork and security.
The new CAD system will be a great improvement that will be utilized greatly for dispatch, paperwork and also being able to detect traffic stops or to locate where an authority vehicle is placed.
