Sheriff’s Candidates Discuss Bomb Dog

The two candidates on the ballot for the office of Sheriff in Rabun County participated in a debate Friday morning.

One topic that Incumbent Sheriff Frank Andrews and Challenger Shawn Wilson discussed was the bomb dog.

Wilson was the first candidate to give his opinion regarding the K9, and he said that he felt it was something that contributed to the national debt.

“I think everyone knows that my pet peeve, no pun intended, is the bomb dog,” said Wilson. “I cannot believe the Sheriff saw fit to ask for a grant for an 88,000 bomb dog program.”

Wilson also said that he has researched a program that could provide the Sheriff’s office with an obedience trained K9, and that for approximately $2,000, the dog could be trained for drug detection.

Andrews explained that the State of Georgia was a pilot program for the nation, and that grant money was available for the K9 to be given to a county in this area, regardless of what county received it.

“This money is coming out of a large pool, and the money is already allocated,” said Andrews. “Why not let’s have a vehicle that’s going to be furnished for us and then have a dog that we can use.

Andrews said that he has also researched getting a drug dog to Rabun County; however, the county would have to supply the vehicle and the gasoline.