Letter: Campbell understands need for canines in sheriff’s office

Editor,

I attended the “Old Goats” meeting when Sheriff Felici and Deputy Campbell were there. The thing that really stuck me was, when asked of Sheriff Felici about not having a K-9 unit for Island County, he basically said it would be like wanting a snowmobile, but the cost would be too high and felt it was frivolous. Not sure how one would think a K9 unit to sniff out drugs and bombs is frivolous. Just this week in Oak Harbor, there was a bomb scare and since we don’t have a K9 unit, we had to “borrow” a K9 from NAS. There are several counties in Washington state that have a K9 unit.

I know that Deputy Campbell has advocated for the K9 unit for years. He is on the streets daily and gets a first hand look at the drugs, alcohol and vandalism.

The following is a quote by Doug Wyllie. He has authored thousands of feature articles, opinion columns, news reports, and tactical tips with the goal of ensuring that police officers are safer and more successful on the streets.

“The police K-9 has a unique impact on the community. These animals serve myriad missions, from drug enforcement to search and rescue to apprehending fleeing subjects. They are also ambassadors of the department, appearing at special events for protective and also public relations purposes. They take down criminals and break down barriers between the police and the public.”

Please vote for Lane Campbell, he is the man for the job.

Char Henderson

Freeland