• Established in 2002
• Sheriff Darrin J. Russo took office in 2020 overseeing the law enforcement and corrections divisions
  • Expanded K9 Unit in 2021 from three handlers/four K9s to six handlers/nine canines in 2022
    • Currently consists of six German Shepherds and one Labrador Retriever
    • Secured over $100,000 in donations to fully fund the addition of the unit
    • Including the addition of a Correction’s Officer to the unit working a patrol/narcotics K9
    • Put a Sheriff’s Officer on loan to the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), offsetting the costs of the unit from monetary seizures of the officer’s assignments
    • K9 teams offer shared services throughout all twenty-one municipalities including emergency response and community relations
      • Assist Federal agencies including DEA, FBI, USPS, HSI & USM operations
      • K9 demonstrations for schools, youth programs, senior centers etc. Requests your own here.
    • Tracking K9s
      • support the Project Lifesaver Program upon missing person activation
      • support the Special Response Team and Special Operations Unit
    • Explosive K9s
      • belong to the NJ Detect & Render Safe Task Force providing mutual aid throughout all twenty-one counties in New Jersey
      • conduct safety sweeps prior to start of large gatherings, parades, schools etc.
      • complete daily security checks with their partner of county facilities and transportation facilities such as train station platforms
• K9s
  • The demands of this position are unique within the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office and requires passionate officers that are willing to dedicate their lives and responsibilities entailed with being a K9 handler.  This requires a tremendous support from their family as well as a financial commitment that often goes unnoticed by the community, they keep safe.
  • K9 vehicles are equipped with a K9 kennel insert in the rear along with a heat alarm system that monitors the interior temperature and has an emergency activation to protect the canines.
  • K9s reside with their handler and upon retirement, stay with their handler
    • Typical age of retirement is around ten years old, dependent on health
  • Handlers are chosen through a rigorous selection process developed by Sheriff Russo in 2021
  • Potential canines are typically around a year old upon selection due to their level of maturity and physical endurance through academy training along with the years of service upon certification
    • Police K9 Trainers conduct a selection process for potential canines seeking healthy, athletic dogs that are not fearful, aggressive, or easily startled.  The same dog that hunts criminals also performs school demonstrations and resides in the homes of our families.  They need an acute sense of smell and possess the drive to work.
    • K9 teams then attend and academy and upon successful graduation K9 teams are mandated to complete a monthly in-service and a bi-annual recertification
      • 16-week patrol academy (obedience, agility, evidence recovery, area search, building search, tracking, criminal apprehension and handler protection)
      • 14-week scent academy (explosives or narcotics)

---

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Somerset County by ensuring a safe and secure environment within the county complex, to protect life and property throughout the county, to work cooperatively with all law enforcement agencies and to perform our duty with pride and dignity.

Our values of this office from which all goals and objectives will be based, states that we, the members of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, are dedicated to and are committed to, providing all citizens with the highest quality law enforcements services and strive to perform our duties in an efficient and effective manner. While providing the traditional functions of the Sheriff, we stand ready to support all other law enforcement agencies. We recognize that the ability to successfully complete our objectives is based on shared mutual respect and responsibility between the Sheriff’s Office, county and municipal agencies and the citizens we serve. As professionals, we enforce the laws in a fair and impartial manner, recognize both the statutory and judicial limitations of our authority and at all times respect, uphold and protect the constitutional rights of every individual.