Seward County Independent

    The Seward County law enforcement community bade a fond farewell to one of its furriest members last week.
     Hexa, the drug-sniffing German shepherd owned by the Seward County Sheriff's Office, was officially retired Jan. 12 due to health reasons.
     "Age catches up with all of us," Sheriff Joe Yocum said.
     Hexa suffers from arthritis, and Yocum worried about the eight-and-a-half year-old dog's safety if she were to continue working.
     The sheriff's canine program has been a boon to the law enforcement community since its inception in 2002. At the request of Deputy Scott Walton, Yocum investigated the possibility of starting the program and organized the purchase of Hexa from the Lincoln Police Department in May that year. Walton became Hexa's handler.
     In a career spanning just under four years, Hexa has been involved in 60 drug arrests and 28 tracking arrests.
     "She will be missed, not only by members of this department, but also from law enforcement agencies in the area," Yocum said. "She has been called out several times for drug cases or tracking cases by them."
     With the success realized by Hexa's addition, the sheriff moved to purchase a second dog, Alec, from a training facility in Louisiana. The Nebraska State Patrol also recently added a canine unit in the Seward County area, Yocum said.
     Between Alec and the state patrol's dog, Yocum said he has no immediate plans to purchase another canine.
     The cost of a trained canine unit and training for the handler averages $8,000. The funds used to purchase the dogs comes from confiscated drug money, not taxes, Yocum emphasized.
     The Seward County Commissioners approved the retirement and sale of Hexa to her handler, Walton, where she will live out her retirement years with him and his family.
     "We're all going to miss her," Yocum said. "She's earned it, though."