It was a busy weekend for Habersham County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Roxy and her handler, Sgt. Eugene Kemp.
Friday afternoon, the pair responded to Stephens County following an active shooter call on Valley Drive. They put Roxy’s skills to work finding the weapon deputies say the shooter discarded in the woods after firing on them.
Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley says the suspect unleashed 18 rounds on deputies sent to investigate him. E-911 callers saw the man walking around with a gun and reported him as “suspicious.”
Bullets struck two Stephens County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicles numerous times in the windshield and driver’s side. One bullet grazed a deputy.
“Roxy is trained to detect explosives and firearms-related evidence,” says Habersham County Public Information Officer Rob Moore. “She and Kemp work closely with federal and state agents and local law enforcement officers to seek out explosives, guns, and spent ammunition.”
Securing Swifties
In addition to responding to incidents like the one Friday in Stephens County, Kemp and Roxy also work public events and gatherings. They provide security for major events, schools, and federal buildings statewide when called upon.
They put their training to use over the weekend protecting Swifties in Atlanta.
Working 13-hour shifts Saturday and Sunday, they joined around ten other K-9 units working the Taylor Swift concerts at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They helped secure the sold-out crowds by sweeping the stadium and performing vehicle searches in the VIP area.
The Habersham County Sheriff’s Office obtained federal grant money through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security (GEMA/HS) to fund the K-9 unit and vehicle. Roxy and Kemp must complete about 16 hours of monthly training to GEMA/HS standards.
Roxy is six and a half years old; Kemp has had her since she was one. Their regular duties involve daily sweeps of the Habersham County Courthouse, serving papers through the Civil Division at the sheriff’s office, and providing court security.
