IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office has more than 20 k9s, but the team’s newest recruit has a very special job: sniffing out drugs at the county detention center.
Iredell County deputy Andrew Hess has a special tool on his belt.
“We’ve got flashlights, tasers, OC spray, we’ve got our firearm pistol holster, which doubles as a tennis ball holster once we’re in the building,” said Det. Andrew Hess with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
The tennis ball is for his partner, K-9 Waldo.
The Goldendoodle is specifically trained to find substances that are banned at the Iredell County Detention Center. He has been on the job since February.
“It’s not an everyday occurrence, but it does happen from time to time, and so that’s why he’s here,” Hess said.
Waldo uses his strong senses to track the smell of fentanyl, cocaine, meth, and other drugs that people sneak into the jail.
Just hours before Channel 9 met Waldo, Hess says he sniffed out a suspicious piece of mail.
And when he sniffs out contraband, he gets rewarded.
“He loves a tennis ball. I’ve tried a bunch of other things, but we just keep reverting back to a tennis ball, so there’s no need to change what’s working,” Hess said.
Waldo is more than just a ball of energy.
He’s trained to be a deterrent to keep everyone safe.
“He makes everybody’s day better. He’s just a good dog. You can’t ask for any better than him,” Hess said.