K-9 units to patrol Mineral County

MINERAL COUNTY – A new type of Montana Highway Patrol unit will be helping local law enforcement stem the flow of illegal drugs on the Interstate 90 corridor that runs through Mineral County.

According to a press release from MHP, units armed with narcotic detection canines will be hitting the streets of Mineral County along with the rest of Montana.

MHP Sergeant and Mineral County Commissioner Roman Zylawy said the K-9 units will provide a new weapon in the state’s arsenal against the transportation of narcotics through Mineral County.

“Basically I-90 is the only way in,” Zylawy said. “Most of the traffic comes right through Mineral County so that’s a good focal point for the units. They are spread out but we do have one in the area that we can use. The dog will be working in Mineral County as part of an assignment.”

The K-9 teams will be spreading out across the state but will have a presence in Mineral County due to the popularity among drug traffickers of using Interstate 90. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox said the units have already made a difference in the state’s drug interdiction effort.

“The Highway Patrol’s first ever K-9 units are an important step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat the flow of illegal drugs in and through Montana,” Fox said. “In the short time they’ve been in service, these highly trained K-9 units have already accomplished great things and demonstrated their significant value.”

Colonel Tom Butler, Chief of the MHP, said the new resource would definitely be put to use in Mineral County. Butler said K-9 units are a critical part of any law enforcement drug traffic suppression effort.

“We’re excited to have these new teams in service,” Butler said. “A tremendous amount of time and work has gone into making our first ever K-9 narcotic units a reality. Regularly partnering with other law enforcement agencies in Montana. Our robust drug interdiction work has been made even stronger by the addition of these new units.”

According to the press release, MHP selected the canine handlers earlier in the year after a “rigorous screening process.” The canines themselves were purchased from a kennel in Pennsylvania and shipped to Montana directly from Europe.

The dogs arrived at the training facility in Big Timber in April. MHP held its first canine training academy in May and graduated the first teams in June. The teams were certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association shortly after that.

Purchasing and training the dogs was funded by drug-forfeiture money and grants from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. The units will be based at, according to the press release, strategic locations throughout the state and Mineral County and will regularly travel the state to conduct operations.

Zylawy said because of the dog’s sense of smell, they provide a unique tool in the detection of illegal drugs.

“The bad guys are getting more and more creative with how they hide the drugs,” Zylawy said. “The dogs help us locate the drugs in the car. The traffickers use hidden compartments and even inside the engines. The dogs help expedite the search process.”