Drug dog attends county meeting

Roosevelt County Commissioners met in regular session Tuesday, and with a light agenda, received a demonstration by the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office drug dog.

Guided by her handler, Deputy Gary Ford, the 2-year-old Labrador named Ana found a plastic bag with methamphetamine Sheriff Darren Hooker taped under one of the chairs in the room.

It took several passes of the commissioner’s room before Ana located the drugs. Ford said the dog was more excited and distracted than usual because there were lots of people in the room and the air conditioning was operating.

Ford said the dog is used only for drug detection.

In addition to traffic searches, she has also been used in jail searches and can be used in school searches as well.

Ford said Ana has been with the force since she was a puppy. She cost $4,995, according to sheriff’s office officials.

In other business:

• Commissioners approved 60 indigent claims totaling $53,098.

• Tabled a report on the county fair until fair board president Tim Allison is available.

• Heard demolition work on the interior of the old jail had begun.

• Tentatively set Sept. 18 to meet with the Elida Town Council about the possibility of working out a deal to utilize that town’s unused detention funds allocated by the Legislature each year.