The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit was formed approximately 30 years ago. Its goals are two-fold, one being to act as goodwill ambassadors for the Sheriff’s Department and the other to assist in the apprehension of criminals.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit was the first of its kind formed in the county and is an integral part of the day to day operations of the Patrol Division. K-9s have assisted in making numerous felony and misdemeanor arrests. These arrests were made under very difficult circumstances and would not have been made without the K-9s.

The K-9 teams also do numerous public demonstrations showing their training and experience. The demonstrations have been held for various groups such as preschools, convalescent hospitals, civic organizations and the county fair.

The Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit is also available to all law enforcement agencies who request our teams to assist in the apprehension of criminals or searching for missing or lost persons. The service is provided at no charge to the requesting agency. The K-9 teams also showcase their training and experience at numerous K-9 trials held throughout California and have taken top awards in these trials. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit is recognized throughout the State as one of the finest.

Currently the K-9 Unit is administered by Patrol Operations Captain Jim Hinesly and managed by Lieutenant Chris Wenzinger and supervised by Sgt. Manuel Cavazos.