ELIZABETHTOWN —The Rotary Club in Elizabethtown went to the dogs, in a way, on Wednesday when members were visited by Corp. Daniel Clark, a K-9 handler for the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office and works with the K-9 Jax.
Clark told the club Jax is 20 months old and still considered a puppy. He said the Sheriff’s Office also has a second K-9 named Kane who is 5 years old. Jax is a Belgian Malinois, which is an energetic breed and needs plenty of exercise and attention from its owner.
Clark said the club Jax is certified through the National Police Work Dog Association and trained to find drugs, search buildings, article detection training, apprehension, and handler protection.
Corp. Clark said the K-9 program requires documentation of all training and documentation each time Jax is deployed.
The Rotary members were told that Clark and Jax periodically conduct searches of East Bladen and West Bladen high schools — notifying Bladen County Schools Sup’t. Robert Taylor they are entering the school and then contacts Taylor to let him know what was found.
Corp. Clark said since he and Jax started visiting the schools, the amount of drugs that has been found has steadily decreased.
On a more personal note, Clark said Jax has saved his life.
“The first week on patrol (together), we got a call about a subject barricaded in a house,” said Corp. Clark.
He said the officer who was on the scene requested assistance and Corp. Clark said he and Jax arrived on the scene soon after. Clark said he called out to the subject inside the house twice and, when the subject would not come out, he went and kicked in the door and entered the house. Corp. Clark said he went to the right when going through the door but noticed Jax was pulling him to the left.
Clark said he looked to his left and saw the subject standing there with an ax. He said when the subject saw Jax, he dropped the ax and eventually surrendered.