LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — News 19 began a new segment to spotlight local law enforcement and their K9 units. First up, Florence Police Department’s Officer Sam Garrison and K9 “Zeke!”

Officer Garrison has been a police officer in the State of Alabama for seven years, a Florence Police Officer for the last four years and is currently a Police K9 handler.

He began handling a Police K9 in 2019 with his then partner K9 Taz. They worked together for 8 months until Taz suffered a sudden death due to a genetic problem.

During their time together, Officer Garrison and K9 Taz successfully trained for and earned certifications in patrol work and narcotic detection with the United States Police Canine Association. As a team, they were able to locate and seize a large number of narcotics during their short partnership.

During the summer of 2020, they were instrumental in locating a suspect who had led Law Enforcement on a vehicle pursuit before fleeing on foot. The suspect was able to evade Law Enforcement and stay hidden for over an hour in a farmer’s field.

When Ofc. Garrison and Taz, along with another K9 team, located the suspect, it was discovered that he was suffering from dehydration and needed immediate medical attention. Had officers and K9 Taz not been able to locate the suspect, he would not have received the medical aide he desperately needed and could have suffered severe consequences.

Currently, Officer Garrison is partnered with K9 Zeke. Zeke is a two-year-old German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix.

In October 2021, Officer Garrison and K9 Zeke completed their training and earned both a Patrol Dog Certification and a Narcotic Detection Certification with the United States Police Canine Association.

We are excited to see how this team’s efforts and dedication aid the citizens of Florence and the Shoals community.