K9 Jeroen, a longtime member and senior police officer of the Kilgore Police Department, passed away February 15, 2012, due to a medical issue.  K9 Jeroen had served the Kilgore Police Department since 2004 as a member of the Patrol Division. Jeroen unselfishly served the Citizens of Kilgore with honor and devotion and will be greatly missed.

The mission of the Kilgore Police Department Canine Unit is to provide a trained police canine to assist in the prevention and detection of crimes, locating persons sought by the police, the promotion of a favorable public image of the police department, and for such other duties as may be directed by the administration of the Kilgore Police Department.

 The Canine Unit endeavors to provide year round, 24 hour availability of a police canine in order to meet the needs of citizens and law enforcement personnel.  Enhancing department community relations as well as officer safety and productivity are key objectives of the canine unit mission.  Through training and education, the canine unit seeks continued self-improvement and an increasing involvement in the community law enforcement effort. 

Officer Brady Middlebrooks has been employed with the Kilgore Police Department since April 2000. Officer Middlebrooks has been assigned to the Patrol Division for the past 11 years and assigned to the Kilgore Police Department K-9 Unit since November 2005. K-9 Jeroen, a 10 year old German Shepard, was purchased from the Four Winds Police Dog Center, in Geffen, The Netherlands, in November 2003. Jeroen is a dual purpose Patrol Service Dog trained in both illegal narcotics detection and patrol duties. Jeroen and Middlebrooks are currently certified through the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association in the detection of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. Jeroen and Middlebrooks’ patrol duties include criminal apprehension, handler protection, scent discriminate tracking, evidence recovery, area searches, building searches, and public demonstrations. Jeroen and Middlebrooks have received five (5) Kilgore Police Department Letters of Recognition for their on-duty performance. During his career, Jeroen has been credited with locating 264 pounds of marijuana, 170 grams of cocaine, 25 grams of methamphetamine, and 5 grams of heroin. Jeroen and Middlebrooks took 8^th place in the 2008 NNDDA national narcotics competition held in Jackson, Mississippi and 10^th place in the 2010 NNDDA national narcotics competition held in Bossier, Louisiana.  Jeroen and Middlebrooks are currently assigned to the N-1 Patrol night shift.

Officer B.J. Burns has been employed with the Kilgore Police Department since December 2007.  Officer Burns has been assigned to the patrol unit for the past 4 years and assigned to the KPD K-9 Unit since January 2011.  Officer Burns received KPD K-9 Jinto, a one and a half year old Belgian Malinois after he was purchased from the Four Winds Police Dog Center in Geffen, The Netherlands in February 2011.  Jinto is a dual purpose Patrol Service Dog trained in both illegal narcotics detection and patrol duties.  Jinto and K-9 handler Burns are currently certified through the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association in the detection of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.  Jinto and K-9 handler Burns’ patrol duties include criminal apprehension, handler protection, scent and discriminate tracking, evidence recovery and public demonstrations.  In Jinto’s short career, he has already been credited with locating illegal narcotics, stolen property and assisting in the arrest of felonious suspects.  Jinto and K-9 handler Burns are currently assigned to the N-2 night shift.

Detective Falco was named Coordinator of the K-9 Unit in March 2011. Detective / K-9 Coordinator David Falco is a 19 year veteran of the Kilgore Police Department.  Detective Falco was assigned as a K-9 handler for the department from 1994 to 2005 during which time he handled 3 dual purpose dogs for the department.  Falco is a current patrol dog certifying official and past board member of the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association.  During his tenure as K-9 handler, Falco placed in the top 10 on three (3) occasions at the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association National Competition as well as being honored for handling the Best German Shepherd in Competition..  Falco has and continues to contribute his time and experience to area K-9 Units in order for the area to have quality dog teams.