City Police Graduate First K-9 Unit

The Brooksville Police Department's first K-9 unit in more than a decade is officially on patrol.

The 2-year-old Belgian Malinois named Koda, and his handler, Officer Joe Nelson, accepted their diploma Friday after six weeks of training classes in Orange County.

Koda, a lean, tawny-colored animal, was considered "exceptional" for police work by his instructors. He can detect as little as four grams of a narcotic and will alert even if the drugs are not present. That includes the hands or clothing of someone who has just touched drugs.

The brief ceremony outside headquarters on Veterans Avenue also served as an opportunity to introduce the department's next drug-sniffing dog, Scout.

Officer Shane Derryberry will be traveling to the same Orange County facility as his co-worker to prepare the 2-year-old German Shepherd for the same tasks.

Chief George Turner expects the team will be on the streets by the end of the year.

Drug dealers in this town "have a big surprise coming," he said.

Koda is trained to recognize six different drug scents and demonstrated his abilities at the conclusion of the graduation ceremony.

Orange County Sgt. David Wade set out four plastic tubs onto the grass, one scented with drugs and spring-loaded with a tennis ball.

At Nelson's command, Koda began sniffing the tubs, quickly passing by the decoys. He "alerted" at the third tub, however, by sitting down and intensely staring at the tub.

With the press of a button, Wade sent the ball shooting out of the tub's lid and Koda took off after it. With the neon-hued ball firmly lodged in his mouth, Koda trotted back over to the crowd with Nelson by his side.

"This is a big game for him," said Wade. "The bad guys lose."

The duo began their patrol Friday night.

In about six weeks, it will be Derryberry's turn. By his side will be Scout, a dusky Shepherd with massive paws.

Derryberry and Nelson work on the same squad and both had intentions of becoming K-9 officers when they began their careers in law enforcement.

"I enjoy their loyalty," Derryberry said about working with dogs.

Wade is enthusiastic about the K-9s' role in Brooksville's future.

"This is a great tool for the city," he said.