K-9 Unit

Staff

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office Canine Unit is supervised by Sgt. Beau Laurent who oversees the day-to-day operations and training of canine handlers.  The Unit is a sub-section of the patrol division.
 

Function

The Canine Unit’s primary function is to assist members of the Sheriff’s Office in apprehending dangerous suspects and to create a safe environment for both the public as well as Deputies.  A canine has up to 300 million scent receptors in the nose versus 5 million in humans.  That, along with their acute hearing, makes the K-9 a vital asset to the Sheriff’s Office and the communities they serve.

The Canine Unit is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond and assist patrol operations, detective functions, and SWAT missions. In addition to assisting in apprehending dangerous suspects and protecting the handler, a Police Canine is often called upon to help locate narcotics or evidence such as a weapon or other items either discarded or hidden by suspects.
 
When not working, the K-9s live at home with their handlers. This is beneficial for both the canine and the handler as it strengthens the bond between them. The handler cares for the canine on a day to day basis in regards to feeding, cleaning, exercise, medical care, training, and socializing. This also enables the Canine Unit to respond to a critical incident call with a prompt response time.

Canines with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office are commissioned police officers, and are protected under Louisiana Statute 14:102.8 – Injuring or killing a police animal – a felony which is punishable by imprisonment and fines.  This law also states that the convicted person must make restitution to the agency suffering a financial loss due to death or injury of a police animal.