Tombstone Marshal's Office's newest K-9 is helping local high school students

TOMBSTONE, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tombstone Marshal’s Office has nine deputies, four of whom are K-9 handlers. Its newest member is helping the students at Tombstone High School.

Tombstone is the first high school in Cochise County to have a certified narcotics tracking dog in the building.

"We know that 80% of fentanyl that comes to the United States, comes through Arizona,” said school resource officer and detective with the Tombstone Marshal's Office, Marshall Sharp.

He got Stinger, his K-9, in June. The 7-month-old English Cocker Spaniel is named after the high school's yellow jacket mascot.

"As we walk through the halls, everybody knows Stinger,” Sharp said.

Sharp says since having the K-9, he's been able to connect with the students, because they often visit his office to see Stinger, but end up opening up to him.

"They come to see Stinger before they'll come see me," Sharp said with a laugh. "But, as a result of that, it has built a great dialogue with the students.

“It opens up that dialogue, and it allows the kids to be comfortable in coming in and talking to me.”

Stinger is trained to find drugs, which Sharp says deters students from bringing illegal substances on campus.

“They know that through training and through talking to them, that she is really great at what she does, even at seven months old; that she can find the narcotics,” Sharp said.

He says more schools will allow small K-9 officers, since it helps build positive relationships between kids and law enforcement.

“It's been a wonderful opportunity to be a mentor, to share some experiences that I've had in my life; to maybe help them with their home life; to help them just deal with everyday struggles,” Sharp says.

Stinger will also be used on patrols, finding drugs coming through Cochise County. Sharp says Stinger is currently going through training to track people, adding to the resources and skills that she will be able to bring to the department.