In his three-and-a-half years as a canine deputy, Brody and his handler, Corporal Jason Keeter, reached significant milestones in the Labrador's short career.

Keeter, left, with Tripp.

Today the sheriff's office put the dog into retirement and the permanent care of his handler as a pet after it was discovered in May he had a medical condition that caused him to not be able to work for more than a month.

“Brody was one of the best canines we ever had,” Sheriff Wes Tripp said following a special recognition in which the dog was handed over to Keeter as a pet. “He was dedicated.”

In his short career, Brody, now 6, ran 144 tracks searching for missing children and the elderly, Tripp said, as well as suspects in crimes. He did 246 narcotics searches, finding 10.56 pounds of marijuana, a half-pound of cocaine, 52 grams of heroin, 12.5 grams of meth and $106,111 in currency. “In Brody's last deployment, he helped his handler find 1.5 pounds of marijuana that had been tossed into the woods by a fleeing subject.”

In addition to that work, Tripp said, Brody and Keeter performed 26 public presentations at schools, churches and other public events. “Our canine deputies are valuable members of the sheriff's office and are vital to our mission.”

Tripp wrote County Manager Tony Brown in a June 27 memo contained in the board's agenda packet that Brody overheats and dehydrates rapidly after moderate physical exertion and had been unable to work for more than a month. “We have had Brody evaluated extensively by Doctor (Cindy) Elias and spent between $1,000 and $2,000 on testing and treatment for the dog.”

Elias, Tripp said in the memo, “Recommends that he be retired and no longer carry out police work.”

Tripp told commissioners he plans to apply for grants to get another dog.

Duncan, left, with Jeff McCauley of the association.

Meanwhile today, for the fifteenth straight year, the county's finance department was honored by the Government Finance Officers Association with a certificate of achievement in financial reporting.

The certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, an association news release said.

“We're a team,” county Finance Director Mary Duncan told the board. “We all put forth the effort to get this done.”