Washington: Spokane County First to Add K9s Trained to Detect Fentanyl

Spokane County is combatting the drug crisis by equipping local law enforcement with two K9 units trained to detect fentanyl, a first in Washington State, reported Fox 28 Spokane.

One K-9 unit will join the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, while another is heading to the Airway Heights Police Department, the article reported. A spokesperson with the Airway Heights Police Department told the media outlet that it believes this development could play a crucial role in combating the local drug crisis.

A K9 named Kimber, a Belgian Malinois, has been trained by the department to detect fentanyl and other narcotics, the article reported. In the article, Officer Michael Ziegler highlighted the daily issue of rising overdose deaths caused by fentanyl that this initiative aims to address.

“The fentanyl crisis … is out of control, so it’s going to be a game changer to help us find those illegal narcotics that are out there on the street,” Ziegler told Fox 28.

Data from the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drugs, and Alcohol Institute supports the urgency of this initiative. Fentanyl's prevalence increased significantly from less than 9% to 58% in the last year, the Institute reported.

Ziegler emphasized the significance of this new tool, telling the media outlet that most street drugs they encounter are fentanyl or drugs laced with fentanyl.