Meet the K9 police dogs who help keep Harris County safe

Dogs are a man’s best friend and a cop’s saving grace.

In Harris County, canines have been assisting sheriff’s deputies for years with apprehending wanted suspects, sniffing out explosives and finding narcotics. All but a few of the dogs were donated by K9s4Cops, a nonprofit based in College Station that helps law enforcement agencies obtain K9 units

Of the 18 deputies and their canine partners employed by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, most are designated as patrol and narcotics dogs, helping deputies track down wanted or missing individuals. Three of those patrol canines are assigned to respond with the HCSO SWAT team to some of the most high-stakes situations throughout the county.

A handful of the other canines specialize in explosives, some of whom are even able to detect improvised explosive devices that could be worn by suspects. While some of the dogs are used to handling some of the most violent of criminals, they are also trained in helping find missing people, including children.

Meet these police dogs in the gallery above.