SHERIFF GETS SECOND DRUG-SNIFFING DOG

For most people, Hank, an 18-month-old yellow Lab, is a friendly dog who
loves to play and have fun with people. But for drug dealers in Georgetown
County, this adorable canine may be an incriminating adversary. Hank, who
was introduced at a recent press conference, is the newest officer of the
Sheriff's Department's drug team. Hank was donated to the department by Paul
and Eydie McCombs of Mayesville, S.C., owner of Fallen Rock Kennels. The dog
is trained to detect a variety of illegal drugs including marijuana,
heroine, cocaine and crack cocaine. "We are both police officers," Eydie
McCombs said. "We do this as a side business.

We had a K-9 that was poisoned and we believe it was done by a drug dealer.

We then decided the way to combat our grief was to go ahead and train more
dogs." The McCombs couple also works with Camden Animal Shelter to train
dogs that are without homes. "We donate between 10 and 15 dogs per year that
we feel can help combat the narcotics battle that everybody is going
through," Paul McCombs said. "We know a lot of departments cannot afford
these dogs because the cost is between $5,000 and $7,000. It's our way of
trying to help departments identify drug pushers.

Sometimes having one of these dogs is a deterrent.

Just the simple fact that you have [the dog] I think you will find some
people will decide not to take drugs in the schools or other places." The
McCombs pay for the cost of the dog and training out of their own pockets.
"It's our way of giving back to the community," Paul McCombs said. "Every
time we hear that one of these dogs have made a bust it makes us feel like
proud parents because we know that's one less dealer on the road." The
McCombs not only train dogs to search for drugs in South Carolina, canine's
from their kennel have been and are still being used all over the world.
"We've done bomb dogs for the New York Stock Exchange. We do all the dogs
for the IRS. Right now we are training dogs for the Transportation Security
Agency on Alaska," Paul McCombs said, adding they also provided dogs for the
Olympics in Australia. They recently donated a bomb-sniffing dog to the Port
of Charleston. Hank's handler for the department is Deputy Neil Johnson who
spent time in Mayesville training for his new duties. Even though Hank has
been with the department for less than a month, he has already aided in drug
busts. Last week, Hank ad Johnson responded to a call from the Organized
Crime Bureau on Highway 17 near DeBordieu. a man had admitted to officers he
had drugs in his car, so Hank was used to sniff out the stash. "Hank made a
sniff around the vehicle and did an alter," Johnson said. About a half-pound
of marijuana was seized from the vehicle. The dog also helped sniff out
drugs during another traffic stop in Andrews. "I am super-pleased how well
Neil and Hank are taking to each other," Paul McCombs said. "It didn't take
any time at all for those two to bond. I think they are going to be a good
team together." Hank is the second drug-sniffing dog on the Department's
force.

Farrah, a Belgian Malinois, handled by Deputy Clint Busbee, joined the team
in December. For people searches, the department also has two bloodhounds.