K-9 Christopher, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois who was born in Germany was imported by Tarheel Canine Training, Inc. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office selected Christopher July 2022. K-9 Christopher received four months of “basic training” at which point Deputy Johnson travelled to North Carolina and picked up his new partner.
Deputy Johnson has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 15 years, starting out as a Field Law Enforcement Technician in 2007. In 2010 he became a Patrol Deputy and has been a K-9 Handler since 2013. He is also a Field Training Officer and a SWAT Team Member. Deputy Johnson has been a K-9 handler for over 9 years, this will be his third K-9 partner.
K-9 Vinnie, a two-year German Shepard who was born in Slovakia was also imported by Tarheel Canine Training, Inc. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office selected Vinnie in July. K-9 Vinnie received four months of “basic training”, at which point Deputy Witherspoon travelled to North Carolina with Deputy Johnson and picked up his new partner.
Deputy Witherspoon has been with the Sheriff’s Office for 9 years, becoming a Reserve Deputy in 2013. Deputy Witherspoon became a Corrections Technician in 2014, a Corrections Deputy in 2016, and a Patrol Deputy in 2019, Deputy Whitherspoon was recently selected as Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office newest K-9 handler in September 2022.
All of our K-9 teams are certified annually by the Oregon Police Canine Association (http://www.opca.com/home).
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Street Crimes, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with six K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 263 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 178 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.
