Bunnell, FL - Two members of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit are named as the K-9 Trailing Team of the Year by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) Advisory Board. K-9 Holmes joined FCSO and Sergeant Fred Gimbel in April of 2018 when he was just a puppy. He's the first bloodhound that FCSO has had in decades and his name is the result of a community vote.
K-9 Holmes’ training was documented on the Agency’s Facebook page through a series of videos called “Tracking Holmes” where viewers could watch his skills advance each week.
The pair, Sgt. Gimbel and K-9 Holmes have located several people in Flagler County, including a missing, endangered 13-year-old boy in under an hour about ten days ago, on June 27. Holmes has also been used to sniff out criminals during foot pursuits over the past year.
“This is a tremendous level of recognition for such a young Bloodhound Team,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Sergeant Gimbel and K-9 Holmes make a great team and Sgt. Gimbel has put in so much effort to train Holmes in search and rescue. I am glad that all of Sergeant Gimbel’s efforts are being recognized!”
Sergeant Fred Gimbel and K-9 Holmes will receive the award from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and FDLE Commissioner Richard Swearingen at the Florida Capitol on Monday, September 14, 2020. That day is also designated as “Florida Missing Children’s Day” by the Florida Legislature.
