SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TO HAVE K9 UNIT

Since yesterday, it's been a dog's world in Rains County. The sheriff's
department welcomed Indiana, a three-year-old black Labrador retriever, to
the department as a law enforcement service animal. Indiana has been
trained to search buildings, vehicles and open areas for four narcotics -
marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

Rains County Deputy Sheriff Greg Stout said that the sheriff's department
has seen the need for a canine unit in this county for a long time and
ultimately contacted Van Zandt Deputy Sheriff Jackie Buccafurno. She is the
dog handler for that county and picked up Indiana from Lackland Air Force
Base in San Antonio. Stout added, "I've had him at my house for about four
months."

Indiana went to Detection Canine of America, a training facility for law
enforcement service animals in Bridgeport, the third week of November and
Stout joined him there from December 6-17. "He is strictly a narcotics dog,
and although he wasn't trained for officer protection, during the training
we discovered that he will protect me. It's not uncommon for police service
animals to do that," Stout added.

At the end of the training session, Stout said that he and the dog were
required to search three different areas in timed events. They were praised
by the owner and instructor for setting a record for the school for timed
certification. "We did it faster than any team had ever done before," Stout
said with pride.

Meanwhile, there is a strong bond between Stout and Indiana. No one else is
allowed to do anything for the animal, such as feeding or giving treats,
because he is trained to be a one-man dog. Stout went on to explain, "He
can't go back and forth between handlers. By himself, he is nothing; by
myself, I am nothing: together, we are a canine team."

Stout said the canine unit will be available to all law enforcement
agencies within the county. He encouraged anyone who thinks "criminal
activity is afoot" to contact his or her local law enforcement office
immediately. "The department has invested a lot of time, effort and
planning in the canine unit, and we're looking forward to benefiting the
community," he added. Stout has been with the department since June of 2001.