9 More Wyoming Highway Patrol K-9s Trained to Detect Fentanyl

Nine more Wyoming Highway Patrol K-9s have been trained to detect fentanyl, the agency announced Thursday.

Sgt. Jeremy Beck says the four-legged drug busters, five of whom were purchased using federal grant funds through the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, were trained and certified last week.

"In July 2022, The Wyoming Highway Patrol trained and certified Wyoming's first fentanyl-detection canine," Beck said in a news release.

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"The safety and success of this pioneering effort have led the Wyoming Highway Patrol to expand this program to the rest of our narcotic detection canine handler teams," he added.

Beck says the process of training the dogs to sniff out the dangerous opioid has been a long, careful, and deliberate one.

"This has been an extensive process, requiring time and resources from many companies to ensure the process is safe," he said.

"The results have been overwhelmingly positive, with no incidents occurring that have endangered our canine partners or handlers," added Beck.

Currently, the WHP has 10 narcotics detection K-9s assigned to field operations and two explosives detection K-9s assigned to Division O in Cheyenne, which is responsible for securing Wyoming's State Capitol, the governor's executive protection, and other dignitaries.