The Washington County Sheriff's Office reported that during a traffic stop on I-41 near State Highway 28, a Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper requested assistance from a Washington County Sheriff's Office K9 unit. The deputy handler and K9 Ryder responded to the scene, where K9 Ryder conducted a free-air sniff of the vehicle. Ryder gave a positive alert, which indicated the presence of illegal narcotics.

Based on Ryder's alert, a probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of more than four ounces of methamphetamine. A 44-year-old Brown County man was taken into custody by the state patrol, and is currently being held at the Washington County Jail on several felony drug-related charges.

K9 Ryder, a two-year-old male German Shepherd, is the third active K9 to join the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the second K9 assigned to patrol.

Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis stated in a press release that this case demonstrates the immediate value K9 Ryder has brought to their agency and their law enforcement partners. 

"Within just a short time of entering service, Ryder has already helped remove a significant amount of methamphetamine from our communities. I am especially proud that this investment in public safety was made without relying on local tax dollars. Through drug asset forfeitures and the generosity of our community, we were able to add another highly trained K9 team that will continue to protect the citizens of Washington County and assist agencies throughout Wisconsin."

Ryder entered service in May of this year alongside the deputy handler. The majority of the startup costs were funded through drug asset forfeiture proceeds and supplemented with generous donations from supporters of the K9 program.