If dogs wore shoes, these would be some big ones to fill

Meet Nadia and Angel, who are the rookies stepping up to the job behind new retirees Alpha and Ringo. Therese Apel, Clarion Ledger

Narcotics Detective Anthony Fox and his K-9 Nadia.(Photo: Therese Apel / Clarion Ledger)

In front of the "Welcome to Jackson" sign at the corner of Pearl and State streets Tuesday, Jackson welcomed its newest police recruits: K-9 officers Nadia and Angel. 

The two rookie K-9s are taking the torch from veteran K-9s Alpha and Ringo. Their primary function, Jackson Police Department Chief James Davis said, is to sniff out drugs, but they will also be used for search and rescue and tracking when necessary. 

Nadia has already gotten her start working with Detective Anthony Fox. Recently, she sniffed out a load of marijuana that was hidden in a tree. According to a Facebook post from Southern State Canine, she found the drugs crammed down in the fork of a tree.

"She gave me the alert of an odor she was smelling," Fox said. "We were able to recover several ounces of high-grade marijuana that she just took me to on her own."

Angel and her handler, Detective Desmond Barney, are learning together. They've been living together for a little less than a month, Barney said, and as he learns the ropes of being a handler, Angel is learning the ropes of being a drug dog. 

"It's a learning experience. She's learning from me and I'm learning from her, and we're going to see how we work out together," Barney said. "I'm enjoying it so far."

Davis said that as the city continues to bring new personnel into the police department and the narcotics unit, he hopes to expand the K-9 unit as well.

Alpha and Ringo will now go home to "be a dog," Fox said. Ringo will retire to live with his handler, Detective Carl Ellis, and Alpha will live with Fox.

"They served the city very well," Fox said. "Hundreds of thousands of dollars, uncountable seizures with narcotics. They can be a dog now."

But Alpha hasn't forgotten his glory days.

"This morning when I put the leash on, he took off like he was looking for dope again. I think he misses it," Fox said.

K-9 Ringo prepares for retirement from the Jackson Police Department. He was honored at a ceremony on Oct. 23. (Photo: Therese Apel / Clarion Ledger)

K-9 Alpha retired from Jackson Police Department at age 10. He was honored in a ceremony October 23. (Photo: Therese Apel / Clarion Ledger)

K-9 Angel prepares for duty at the Jackson Police Department (Photo: Therese Apel / Clarion Ledger)

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