NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) — Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes is welcoming new members to his team who will help fight crime, all for a good scratch behind the ears.
Deputies swore in canines Bear and Kai on Wednesday at the sheriff’s office in New Bern. The police pups will replace a pair of retiring dogs named Stihl and Ringo. The new dog deputies made it official with paw prints on their documents.
Investigator Rebecca Hopper, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit leader, said Bear and Kai did a lot of work to prepare for joining the sheriff’s office.
“We have a lot of training that we send our canine handlers to, and we want to make sure that we keep the dogs proficient on the road and proficient in their training,” Hopper said. “All of that steps from the dogs and their handlers training together.”
Hopper started Craven County’s canine unit in 2019. They now have five dogs on duty.
