Lexington Community Corrections is onboarding a new breed of employee to help sniff out illegal narcotics and increase safety at the local jail.
Meet K9 Ozzy. He is a four-year-old Sable Belgium Malinois who was donated to Community Corrections from the Lexington Police K9 Unit last September. After his “transfer,” Ozzy was paired with his fulltime handler, Community Corrections Officer Cody Tingle.
K9 Ozzy and Officer Tingle went through extensive training both separately and with each other. And together, they make up the city’s first— and state’s only—nationally certified narcotics unit within a corrections facility.
Officer Tingle and Ozzy’s main objective is to detect illegal narcotics within and around Lexington’s Community Corrections facility. Ozzy performs a range of inspections including cell block and facility searches, parking lot sweeps and checks on incoming mail and other packages. Ozzy’s presence also serves as a preventative measure to deter people from bringing in or sending in illegal narcotics to the jail.
But life isn’t all work and no play for K9 Ozzy.
While he is an elite-trained animal and loves to work, Ozzy also enjoys the same pleasures as a typical dog. When at home with Officer Tingle, K9 Ozzy loves to relax, lay around and even watch TV. His favorite treats include Milk Bones and ice cream, especially a vanilla Frosty from Wendy’s (on special occasions). And Ozzy is never one to turn down a good belly rub, taking a bath or playing fetch.
“Insta-famous”
K9 Ozzy cannot interact with inmates or most corrections officers, but he is a famous face around Lexington Community Corrections. And he’s quickly becoming “insta-famous” as well, with more than 1,100 followers on his Instagram account.
Keep up with K9 Ozzy and Officer Tingle by following @Lexington_K9_Ozzy.
Community Corrections Hiring
Interested in joining Ozzy on the Community Corrections team?
Lexington Community Corrections hiring process is currently open. No experience is necessary, but applicants must meet certain requirements to be hired. All new hires will go through a 10-week training academy and will be compensated during training.
Visit lexingtonky.gov/departments/community-corrections for more information.
Please note: Officers will not be interacting or working with K9 Ozzy as part of their job duties.
