After years of dedicated service sniffing out illegal substances and tracking criminals, one of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office most beloved K-9 officers is hanging up his leash.
On Wednesday, May 29, Jack, a 9-year-old Dutch Shepherd, officially retired, leaving behind a legacy of numerous drug busts and community safety efforts.
A retirement party in his honor was held at the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office with cake and ice cream served to the packed room of guests with K-9 Jack getting a little ice cream with a side of Milk Bones.
“K-9 was the first dual-purpose dog for the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office. When Deputy Richard Whitten was shot in 2019, K-9 Jack was the officer that alerted on the house where the suspect was hiding. The suspect, who took his life, was later tracked to a boat in the home’s backyard by a TDCJ dog named Raider,” said Liberty County Sheriff Bobby Rader.
Earlier this month, Liberty County Commissioners Court conveyed ownership of Jack to his LCSO handler, Lt. Michelle Deshotel. The transfer of ownership grants Deshotel all responsibility for the care and upkeep of Jack for the remainder of his life.
His departure creates a void within the sheriff’s office, which is supported by three other K-9 units consisting of Paul Young with Rita, Rico (currently without a handler), and Bryan Kutra with Wolf.
Retirement for K-9 Jack was forced due to health problems.
“Jack didn’t want to retire. These K-9s never want to retire, but Lt. Michelle Deshotel and [his vet] Dr. Chachere put their heads together and decided that it was best. I want to think him and his handler for all his work over the last six years,” Rader said.
