Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office swears in new K-9

HAYDEN — There’s a new dog in town. 

Community members gathered Wednesday at the Kootenai North facility in Hayden to welcome the newest member of the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, a 12-month-old Belgian Malinois named Spike.

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris administered the oath to Spike. Though Spike lifted his paw at one point, it was unclear how much he understood; the dog is from the Netherlands and only responds to Dutch. 

Spike is one of four dogs in KCSO’s K-9 program. Deputy Nate Nelson, Spike’s handler, said the dog is already certified for patrol work and will also be certified for narcotics and tracking. 

“We got certified through the state of Idaho on Monday,” he said. “Got a couple people already since then.” 

Nelson traveled to California to meet Spike and spend about seven weeks training with him. 

KCSO’s K-9 program is funded through community donations, which cover the cost of the dogs, training and equipment. These costs typically total around $25,000 per K-9 team. Kootenai County only provides funding for dog food and vet bills. 

Spike joined the program because of a gift from several local women who wished to remain anonymous. 

One of the donors, a Hayden woman, said she got the idea to make the gift after reading about another local K-9 that had retired. 

“I think dogs make a big difference in the safety of officers,” she said. 

The woman said the gift was also meant to honor local law enforcement and express appreciation for their work. 

“(Spike) is going to make an impact here,” she said. Then she smiled. “What better way to spend money?” 

Nelson said K-9s are a valuable resource for law enforcement. Dogs can accomplish certain tasks, like clearing a building, much faster than police officers can, saving time and effort.

This story has been updated to reflect Spike's breed and where the dog was trained.