The Cumberland County Sheriffs Office Canine Unit was established in 1988. The objective of the Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit is to provide an additional specialized unit to increase the effectiveness in the detection and prevention of crime, as well as the apprehension of criminals. The greatest value of the canine team lies in the ability of each dog’s keen sense of sight, smell and hearing, which aid in the search of drugs, explosives, persons, and buildings. The Canine Team provides a positive public image of the Sheriff’s Office’s expertise and efficiency. The Sheriff’s Office currently has seven canine teams. They train in narcotic detection, explosives detection, accelerant detection, as well as all aspects of patrol dogs training. Law enforcement agencies in North Carolina are not required to certify their police Canines. However, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has all of their Canine Teams nationally certified through the International Police Work Dog Association, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
