Gloucester County Sheriff’s Department’s most popular deputy gains recognition

What hero has four legs, fur and salivates at the sight of a black rubber Kong? That’s, Rexi, the most popular deputy in Gloucester County Sheriff’s office. Rexi is a sable German shepherd, K9 unit member and an Afghanistan war veteran. The black rubber Kong is his favorite toy. Rexi and his handler, Master Deputy Philip Lutz, joined forces after an extensive search. Sheriff Warren, Captain David Shield, their grant writer and Sergeant Brad Simmons all worked to a secure a grant for Gloucester County’s K9 initiative. This two-year effort led them to a nonprofit organization called K9s4Cops which evaluates dogs to purchase for law enforcement agencies through grants. K9s4Cops provides a “startup” dog and helps fill future needs as dogs retire, become injured or are killed in the line of duty. Rexi was chosen for his intelligence and motivation. Before partnering with Lutz, he underwent several weeks of training with Simmons in Alabama. Simmons was an ideal choice to train with Rexi, because of his considerable military and canine-handling experience. Now, Rexi is certified as a police utility dog by the North American Police Working Dog Association. He tracks scents, conducts searches, recovers items and apprehends criminals. Learn more about Rexi and other remarkable Virginia police dogs in “Four Paws Law Enforcement” by Deb Weissler in The House & Home Magazine. Read the Article