The newest addition to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office has only been on the job for a week but is already making an impression.

K-9 Kilo, a mixture of German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois, has joined the sheriff’s office and will be involved in drug detection and other aspects of law enforcement.

Paired with handler Deputy John Thompson, Kilo wasted little time in ferreting out illegal activity. Kilo alerted to the presence of drugs Friday during a traffic stop that resulted in the discovery of suspected methamphetamine, multiple types of narcotics and the arrest of two people.

“It’s really good to have that type of resource available for our officers and deputies out there working the street,” Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower said. “He’s already been utilized on several different occasions and located some drugs and drug paraphernalia that otherwise wouldn’t have been located.”

Kilo and Thompson received their certification with the U.S. Police Canine Association and underwent more than 400 hours of training in numerous scenarios before being deployed to patrol together.

Thompson, an eight-year veteran of law enforcement who joined the sheriff’s office two years ago, applied to be the handler for the office’s newest K-9.

“They have grown to be great friends and partners, and I think that bond will continue to grow stronger,” said Capt. Curtis Hargett, a previous K-9 handler with Gunner, who retired in 2017 after seven years of service. “It’ll be fun to watch them grow together from now for the next several years and see them progress in their careers together.”

Purebred German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois typically make for ideal police dogs, valued by law enforcement agencies for their work ethic and intelligence.

A mixture of the two breeds can create an “all-star matchup” that heightens each breed’s finest qualities, Hargett said.

“A German Shepherd is very methodical, smart and particular, while a Belgian Malinois is an absolute workhorse,” Hargett said.

The 16-month-old Kilo succeeds K-9 Kane as the police dog for the sheriff’s office.

Kane died last year after being found unresponsive at the home of his handler, Deputy Aaron Poynter, a death that the sheriff’s office has regarded as suspicious.