The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and the Bellingham Police Department (BPD) are proud to announce that our K9 units are among the first in the state to receive certification for fentanyl detection under the new standards set by Washington State House Bill 1635 (2024).
This leading-edge achievement is in line with local law enforcement’s commitment to staying at the forefront of capabilities to combat the opioid epidemic. The certification ensures that these K9 teams meet the highest standards for detecting fentanyl, a deadly and highly potent synthetic opioid.
On Sept. 15, six K9 teams from four law enforcement agencies attended and passed this training, which was held in Marysville, WA. These six K9 teams from WCSO (2), BPD (1), Marysville Police Department (2) and Anacortes Police Department (1) are the first in the state to be certified under the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC).
Whatcom County and BPD are leaders in K9 training. WCSO Sergeant Jason Nyhus is a Master Trainer with the Washington State Police Canine Association (WSPCA) and is president of the WSPCA. WCSO Deputy Streubel and Deputy Taddonio are patrol trainers with the WSPCA. Deputy Streubel is also a narcotic trainer and a generalist patrol representative for the WSPCA. BPD K9 Trainer and Handler Jeremy Woodward is a Master Trainer with BPD. Streubel and Woodward are Evaluators for K9 teams in Washington State through CJTC. Woodward is also a K9 trainer with WSPCA and works a dual-purpose K9.
“The certification of our canine units is part of our ongoing efforts to battle the opioid epidemic and promote public safety,” said Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell “Tank” Tanksley. “We are proud to be among the pioneers in meeting these new standards and look forward to seeing the results as we add this capability.”
“I am proud of all our regional K-9 handlers and their partners for getting certified so quickly under this new legislation,” said Bellingham Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig. “I have no doubt their work will save lives in our community. I would like to thank our local legislators for their support of HB 1635 and their continued support in combating the fentanyl crisis.”
Sheriff Tanksley and Chief Mertzig note that the new certification – interceding with another lethal and illicit drug – adds another level of risk for our K9 partners. K9s often face potentially dangerous situations when they are deployed. Both BPD and WCSO utilize Kevlar vests to help protect our K9s. Purchasing Kevlar vests has been supported through 30×30 Fundraising, a local non-profit organization. Visit the following links for more information: Support WCSO K9s. Support BPD K9s.
