CRANDON - The Forest County Sheriff's Department is getting a new crime fighter.

From sniffing out cocaine in difficult circumstances, to protecting his handler from attack. Police dogs are highly trained members of police forces lucky enough to have the resources to keep them. Thanks to a $16,000 grant, Forest County will join those ranks.

"There's never been a canine at the Forest County Sheriff's Department, ever. We decided it was important to have one in our fight against drugs. And this grant money became available rather suddenly," says Sheriff Dennee.

Sheriff Dennee says they're constantly trying to stay one step ahead in their fight against drugs.

"We feel this is going to give us a leg up, an edge, on things that we're missing now," says Sheriff Dennee.

Deputy Bill Hujet will be the handler for the new dog. They'll both go through five weeks of training in December. Sheriff Dennee expects his new team to be out on the street in early 2013.

In the meantime, he wants the community to help pick a name for the new recruit.

"I feel very important that this dog needs to be part of our county community. He needs to be involved, and I get my officers very involved in the community and push them to be out and about, as we will with this canine," says Sheriff Dennee.

Story By: Lyndsey Stemm