A Belgian Malinois named Ian has joined the K-9 Unit at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Ted Jackson deputized the new K-9 in an informal gathering Wednesday, according to a press release. Jackson recited the oath of office to Ian and his handler, Deputy Cody Slay.
The 2-year-old dog was born in the Czech Republic and understands commands in Czech, the statement said. He has been trained to track, apprehend suspects and detect explosive materials.
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Slay and Ian will patrol Fulton County and perform regular sweeps at facilities in Atlanta, such as the Fulton County Jail and the Justice Center Complex.
Slay became certified as a K-9 handler after working with Ian for 13 weeks at the Alabama Canine Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Center in Tuscaloosa. Ian will live with his handler, as is standard.
The FCSO K-9 Unit includes two other Belgian Malinoises — Kojak and Diesel — and a black Labrador Retriever named Duke.
Video: A police K-9 helps capture a suspect
