The York County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit is growing.
K-9 Sgt. Mason, a 12-week-old bloodhound, and his handler, Cpl. Rick Wolf, took part in their first official training session together last week at Morning Sun Marketplace in Jackson Township.
“The mission set of the bloodhound is one of the most important things we do at the office,” said Wolf, adding that he’s excited for the opportunity to help in the search for missing people.
Selected from a breeder in Iowa, K-9 Mason made the trip to Pennsylvania on March 9th and has since been in basic (puppy) training at home with his handler.
This would be new to both of them.
Wolf says that he decided he wanted to become a part of the K-9 unit when he learned that the next dog was going to be a bloodhound.
The eager pup wagged his tail with excitement as he was greeted by some in attendance. His eagerness continued as each short tracking exercise played out and he obtained his rewards of cheddar cheese crackers and exuberant praise.
Cpl. Shane Kauffman, who is working to become certified, and trainer Terri Heck, with Summit Search & Rescue and Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, led the training session. Also on site observing was Lt. David Godfrey, the K-9 unit’s master trainer, who is currently on medical leave while continuing his recovery following an ambush in September.
“I could not have been happier with just how he was that first day,” Godfrey said.
Wolf agreed, adding that Mason seemed to enjoy being engaged in “the game” of looking for his target.
“I’m confident in what I saw today,” Wolf said.
The next day, K-9 Mason and his handler were formally introduced during a press conference at the York County Judicial Center, and the unit, led by the currently off-duty Lt. Godfrey, received a certificate of commendation presented by York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler.
With the help of the York County District Attorney’s Office and $75,000 in funding raised by the Zeredatha-White Rose Lodge #451 F&AM and other York County masonic lodges, K-9 Mason and his associated costs, which include a vehicle, would cost York County taxpayers nothing.
Mason would be the 10th dog acquired by the K-9 Unit and the pair would be the unit’s third bloodhound team specializing in tracking people. They would follow K-9 Prince and handler Cpl. Shane Kauffman as well as the first scent tracking dog with the sheriff’s office at the time of the unit’s inception in 2008, K-9 Capt. Lou and his retired handler Sgt. Samuel Shipley. K-9 Lou retired in 2017 and died in 2019.
Once certified, K-9 Mason will bring the total of active dogs in the unit to five. He’ll join K-9 Prince, K-9 Miki, K-9 Bek and K-9 Mason following the retirements of K-9 Lou in 2017, K-9 Dargo in 2023, K-9 Hawk in 2024 and K-9 Tommi in 2025, the deaths of K-9 Lou in 2019, K-9 Dargo in 2025 and the unexpected death of K-9 Kahn in January.
