K-9 & HEU Division

Mission

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office K-9 Division has dogs that are trained in apprehension, tracking and narcotic detection. The superior training and skills allow them to serve as an addition to the regular patrol deputies’ enforcement and safety.

In order to deter illegal narcotics in schools and the jail, all K9’s have a regular presence in the school system and the jail.

Sheriff Randy Smith established the Highway Enforcement Unit (HEU) in 2017, his first year in office. This unit was established mainly to focus on contraband smuggling on the interstate system in the Parish. Because our parish is intersected by 3 major roadways (I-10, I-12 & I-59) carrying visitors to and from areas north, south, east and west, we have an enormous amount of out-of-state traffic travelling throughout our parish on a regular basis. In particular, we experience heavy out-of-state traffic with travelers coming out of Texas and Mexico who are often traveling through to Florida among other areas east of us. We also have a high amount of traffic coming to and from the New Orleans area.

The HEU is also tasked with assisting motorists and enforcing traffic laws predominantly on in the interstate system.

Accomplishments

FY17-FY19

Since Sheriff Randy Smith took office, the K-9 and Highway Enforcement Unit (not including drug seizures by other departments such as the Narcotics Unit, has accomplished the following:
(FY17 – FY19)

• 35 felony drug seizures that resulted in large quantities of drugs.
• 49 felony apprehensions of fleeing wanted subjects.
• 130 school sniffs and demonstrations with dogs.
• 338 free air sniffs for presence of illegal narcotics.
• Secured $10,500 private donation for new narcotics K9 assigned to HEU.
• Secured $14,500 private donation for new patrol K9 to replace a retired dog.
• Located a missing juvenile with autism with the aid of K9 Freya.
• Located a missing elderly man with dementia who was found face down in the woods with the aid of K9 Freya.
• The purchase of K9 Lex to replace a retired dog.
• Received yearly certifications by all teams.
• Acquired and outfitted new Chevy Tahoe units that enable the handlers to transport the dogs in an air-conditioned vehicle and replace older trucks with metal dog boxes.

Goals

FY19

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office
K-9 and Highway Enforcement Unit – Goals – FY19

Each fiscal year (FY) priorities are set in place by the administration. Performance measures as well as departmental goals are defined. Those goals are to deliver the services our citizens need and tackle the most immediate and difficult issues facing STPSO and our community.

As we acknowledge and commend accomplishments from the K-9 and Highway Enforcement Unit, (K-9 and Highway Enforcement Unit – Accomplishments – Videos part 1 & part 2) our highly trained and specialized agents, are completely focused and motivated on achieving each and every departmental goal issued for the next fiscal year. Those goals are consistently set in place by the careful planning of department heads and administration each fiscal year for every department of the STPSO.

It is our commitment to ensure that the Sheriff’s Office also achieves financial strength by applying efficient and effective policies and practices by allocating our resources wisely and invest in areas and programs that provide the most benefit to our citizens.

K-9 and Highway Enforcement Unit Goals:

Limit drug trafficking in the parish
Continue to perform regular walk troughs and searches in the jail
Continue to show a presence in the school system with drug K9s
Annual K9 team certifications
Increase public relations through K9 demos
Replace HEU patrol cars
Continue to seize drugs and proceeds from contraband smugglers
Continue to assist patrol locating fleeing criminal

Accomplishments - Part 1

Accomplishments - Part 2

Goals - FY19