PSO ORGANIZATIONS
Pasco Sheriff Charities supports many PSO organizations that provide a variety of assistance to PSO members. These volunteer units assist with community events, search and rescue missions, and represent PSO proudly at events throughout Pasco County. Pasco Sheriff Charities donations help provide these units with uniforms, specialized training, equipment and more each year.
Donate to these worthwhile causes by visiting our DONATE page.
K-9 MEET THE TEAM
Pasco Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit is one of the largest and most diversely skilled K-9 units in Florida. It’s comprised of multiple handler and K-9 teams, all serving a specific purpose. These teams have a variety of skills, including tracking missing people, finding drugs, explosives or accelerants, locating human remains and providing comfort for those in crisis. K-9s are vital to PSO, as they can perform tasks that humans cannot or that would take significant manpower and time to achieve the same result.
Each K-9 is selected for their handler based on drive, personality and home life compatibility, as all of PSO’s K-9s live at the handler’s home as part of their family. Most K-9s and their handlers undergo over 400 hours of training before becoming a certified team. They continue to train weekly to ensure they remain at the top of their skillset. All of PSO’s K-9s serve the citizens of Pasco with eagerness and enthusiasm, and only ask for a toy and praise as their rewards.
K-9s require significant funds for care, equipment and training. The money to purchase, train and equip all of PSO’s K-9s comes from donations from businesses, community groups and citizens. None of the money for PSO’s K-9s comes from taxpayer dollars.
If you’re interested in donating the funds to purchase, train and equip a K-9 for Pasco Sheriff’s Office, please email charities@pascosheriff.org for more information and to begin the process.
Even after a K-9 retires, they still require vet care and maintenance. PSO’s K-9s remain with their handlers after retirement, and donations help fund this care for the rest of a K-9’s life.
You can make a difference in the life of K9, who selflessly served the citizens of Pasco County, by donating here today!
K9 AJ is a Belgian Malinois cross born in England on Oct. 22, 2021. K9 AJ is certified in patrol work and is also a SWAT K9 who began working with PSO in Feb. 2023. When working, K9 AJ is calm in the car but once outside, is full of energy and always wants to do more. While at home, K9 AJ is just part of the family. He enjoys playing tug with his brother and sleeping on his back.
K9 Benco is a German Shepherd born on Sept. 11, 2014 in Germany. K9 Benco is certified in patrol work and explosive detection. He also assists the SWAT team and began working with PSO in Dec. 2015. As the SWAT K9, he is integrated with the team and deploys on their operations. K9 Benco was the first integrated SWAT K9 for PSO. He is a member of the Regional Explosive Ordnance Detection K9 Team and has participated in several large events. K9 Benco has a tenacity for work and is always ready to go.
K9 Blake is a German Shepherd born on Aug. 28, 2020 in Slovakia. He started his career with PSO in October 2021 and is a certified patrol and narcotics detection K9. He puts his skills to use to keep Pasco County safe.
K9 Boomer is an English Lab born in Indiana on July 2, 2019. He began working for PSO in August 2022 as an electronic storage device detection K9. Boomer is able to sniff out hidden storage devices, such as USBs, computer hard drives and memory cards, which may be used to store or transmit child sexual abuse material. Additionally, K9 
K9 Buzz is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross. He was born in the Netherlands on Aug. 7, 2017, and started his career at the Pasco Sheriff
K9 Cooper is a German Shepherd/Dutch Shepherd cross born 
K9 Crews is a Golden Retriever certified in human remains detection. He was born Aug. 29, 2022 in New York. While Crews began training with PSO as a puppy in November 2022, he became certified in November 2023.
K9 Diesel is Labrador Retriever born in Maine on March 29, 2018. He is certified in human remains detection and began working for PSO in July 2019. He is currently the only K9 integrated with PSO’s Forensics Unit full time and is one of the only forensics-integrated K9s in the country. This ensures that K9 Diesel’s finds are preserved immediately, instead of waiting for a forensics team to arrive to begin processing a scene.
K9 Drake is a Golden Retriever born in New York on Aug. 31, 2022. At only 12 weeks old, his partner selected him from a litter of puppies. Drake began working as a human remains detection K9 in November 2023. He is a very focused, energetic and an independent worker.
K9 Dream is a Bloodhound born in Kentucky on Oct. 26, 2023. K9 Dream’s specialty is tracking those who are missing, especially after long delays. He began working for PSO in Sept. 2023 after arriving at PSO in late 2022 as a puppy.
K9 FJ is a Belgian Malinois born in the Czech Republic on Aug. 2, 2017. He is the first Belgian Malinois to work at PSO. K9 FJ is certified in narcotics detection and patrol work, and began working at PSO in Jan. 2019. His favorite toys include his tug and tennis balls. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family at home.
K9 Flash is a Belgian Malinois born in Croatia on Feb. 14, 2019. He is a single-purpose narcotics detection K9 assigned to the Highway Interdiction Team. This specialty unit is responsible for disrupting the flow of narcotics traveling through the county. K9 Flash began serving the citizens of Pasco County in Oct. 2021.
K9 Gamble is a Belgian Malinois/Bullmastiff cross certified in patrol work. K9 Gamble was born on Jan. 20, 2022 in Ft. Myers, FL. He began going to work alongside his partner, and his partner’s now retired K9 partner, at just eight weeks old in March 2022. K9 Gamble is very focused, clear headed and works fast.
K9 Harley is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross born in Hungary on July 22, 2021. He began working for PSO in Feb. 2023 and is currently assigned to the Highway Interdiction Team as a single-purpose narcotics detection K9. In this role, he helps keep dangerous drugs from moving throughout Pasco County.
K9 Hemi is a Bloodhound born in Kentucky on Feb. 1, 2021. K9 Hemi began training at just 11 weeks old, and began working in 2022. He is a littermate of K9 Shelby. His specialty is tracking people, which is one of the most frequent calls for K9s in Pasco. K9 Hemi is able to decipher between the scents of multiple people, even after long time delays because of his heightened sense of smell. He enjoys spending time with his siblings when he is not working.
K9 Hero is a Belgian Malinois that was born on June 11, 2018. He began working for PSO in Feb. 2020 and is certified in narcotics detection and patrol work. 
K9 Hondo is a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois cross born on March 1, 2021. K9 Hondo is certified for patrol work, and will also become a member of the Pasco Sheriff’s SWAT team. He began working with PSO in March 2023.
K9 Honor is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross born in Hungary on Aug. 3, 2019. K9 Honor is a single-purpose narcotics detection K9 currently assigned to the Highway Interdiction Team, which is responsible for disrupting the flow of narcotics traveling through the county. He began working at PSO in Oct. 2021.
K9 Hunter is a Labrador Retriever who was born in Colombia on Jan. 30, 2019. He is certified in narcotics detection and began working with PSO in May 2020. K9 Hunter is assigned to the Highway Interdiction Team, which helps disrupt the flow 
K9 Indy is a Golden Retriever certified in human remains detection. He was born on Oct. 26, 2019 in New York. He works confidently and enthusiastically.
AAT K9 JoJo is a Labrador Retriever who was born in Colombia on June 10, 2018. He began working for PSO in May 2020. AAT K9 JoJo began his career at PSO as a narcotics detection K9 that helped prevent the introduction of illegal narcotics to the Land O
K9 Joker is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross from Hungary. He was born on December 10, 2019 and began working for PSO in April 2021. He is a single purpose narcotics detection K9 with high drive and energy, who lives to play, and by extension, work.
K9 J.R. is a German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois cross born in Germany on March 29, 2016. K9 J.R. is a dual purpose K9, skilled in patrol work and arson detection, which means he’s able to detect the presence of accelerants potentially used in arson-related crimes. He began working for PSO in Oct. 2017. 
K9 Karma is a single-purpose narcotics detection K9 assigned to the Highway Interdiction Team, which helps interrupt the flow of illegal narcotics throughout Pasco County. He is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross and was born in Hungary on Sept. 26, 2019. K9 Karma began working at PSO in Oct. 2021 and works with enthusiasm and plenty of drive.
K9 Knox was born Jan. 7, 2017 in Florida and began working for PSO when he was just 10 months old in Oct. 2017.
K9 Luca is a single-purpose narcotics detection K9. She was born in Hungary on March 3, 2019 and is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd cross. K9 Luca is part of PSO
K9 Maddie is a Labrador Retriever born in Maine on August 22, 2018. She began working for PSO on May 28, 2020. K9 Maddie is certified as a 
K9 Maus is a Dutch Shepherd born on Oct. 30, 2018 in Hungary. He began working for PSO in Jan. 2020 and is patrol and narcotics detection certified. K9 Maus is the first Dutch Shepherd to work at PSO. K9 Maus loves working and especially enjoys tracking people. K9 Maus also earned “Top Dog” at a K9 Narcotics Detection seminar in 2021. His favorite food is grilled chicken and he loves relaxing in his yard of his days off.
K9 Nate is a German Shepherd certified in patrol work. He was born in Hungary on July 21, 2021 and began working for PSO in Sept. 2023. K9 Nate will work toward a narcotics certification in 2024 as well.
K9 Phi is a Labrador Retriever that was born on Jan. 29, 2016 in Alabama. He is certified in the land and water detection of human remains, and began working for PSO in Feb. 2018. K9 Phi has assisted the FBI, as well as other law enforcement agencies, for numerous homicides, missing people and cold cases. In particular, K9 Phi loves working in wooded areas. K9 Phi has endless energy and is always happy.
K9 Ripp is a Dutch Shepherd born in the Netherlands on June 15, 2020. He is certified in patrol work. K9 Ripp helps the citizens of Pasco County with these skills which include tracking those who are missing and conducting searches for evidence.
K9 Scout is a Labrador Retriever born Nov. 7, 2022 in Tampa, FL. He
K9 Shelby is a Bloodhound born in Kentucky on Feb. 1, 2021. K9 Shelby began training with PSO when he was just 11 weeks old and began working calls in 2022. He is a littermate of K9 Hemi. He is a single-purpose tracking K9 and uses his heightened sense of smell to locate missing people even after hours-long delays. Tracking missing people is one of the most frequent calls for PSO
K9 Simon is a Bloodhound that was born in Kentucky on Oct. 26, 2022. His specialty is tracking, and Bloodhounds have the unique ability to track specific scents after long delays.
K9 Smitty was born in Hungary on Nov. 8, 2017. He is a German Shepherd and began working for PSO in Nov. 2018. K9 Smitty
K9 Spinner is a Bloodhound born on Oct. 26, 2022 in Kentucky. As a Bloodhound, K9 Spinner is trained to track those who are missing, even after long delays, which is an ability unique to Bloodhounds.
K9 Star is a German Shepherd that was born in Hungary on Sept. 8, 2018. He began working for PSO in Nov. 2019. K9 Star is certified in patrol work and narcotics detection. His favorite foods include carrots and frozen watermelon. At home, he enjoys getting pets and following his handler around.
Animal-Assisted Therapy K9 Tacoma is a chocolate Labrador Retriever assigned to PSO’s Community Engagement Unit and was previously part of the Behavioral Health Intervention Team. He was born in Florida on January 10, 2019. AAT K9 Tacoma was rescued from an animal shelter in Brevard County and trained as a therapy dog as part of Brevard County Sheriff’s Office’s “Paws & Stripes” program, where inmates learn valuable skills while teaching dogs to be calm and confident companions. 
K9 Trinity is a German Shepherd, born in Hungry on June 24, 2015. She began working for PSO in Dec. 2017. K9 Trinity is a single-purpose narcotics detection K9 and holds two narcotic detection certificates, from National Narcotic Detector Dog Association and the Tampa Bay Regional K9 Instructor Group.
Animal-Assisted Therapy K9 Woodie is the first Plott Hound to join the Pasco Sheriff
K9 Yager was born in Slovakia on Oct. 15, 2015 and has been working with PSO since June 2017. He is a German Shepherd. K9 Yager is certified in patrol work and narcotics detection. He is highly intelligent and always eager to work. K9 Yager is extremely driven and will retrieve any toy endlessly.
K9 Yogi is a German Shepherd, who was born on Nov. 5, 2013 in Germany. He began working for PSO in Jan. 2015 and is certified in patrol work and narcotics detection. K9 Yogi loves going to work and often heRetired K-9s
Thank you to these K-9s that have faithfully served Pasco County. K-9s live with their handlers as pets upon retirement. They are provided with medical care and more for the rest of their lives, free of charge to the handler, thanks to generous community donations. Pasco Sheriff K-9 Association is grateful for each of these K-9s’ dedicated and selfless service to the citizens of Pasco County.
