Award Winning Houston County K-9 Unit Assists with Emergency Response

Emergency response relies on solid teamwork with a profound level of trust and looking out for one another in crisis situations.

A K-9 unit integrates the ultimate test of that teamwork: a human officer and a four-legged partner who achieve success through loyalty, a nonverbal bond, mutual respect and unshakeable trust to face danger in these high-stress situations and protect the local community.

A traditional K-9 Credo states, “My eyes are your eyes, to watch and protect you and yours.”

Two Award-Winning K-9 Partners with One Mission: To Protect and Serve

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) K-9 Unit “started around 2005,” said Sgt. Zach Swedberg, the current dog handler. “It is the only K-9 Unit in Houston County as there aren’t any at local police departments.”

Two decades after the K-9 Unit started, the handler and dog partnership continues to be a crucial piece of Houston County emergency response. The K-9 partners train together for annual certifications by competing against hundreds of teams in the nation. The certifications are through the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) PD1 K9 Trials.

An anonymous quote states, “In the line of duty, a K-9 partner is not just a tool, but an extension of the human heart – fiercely loyal, constantly alert and utterly fearless.”

Swedberg has worked for the HCSO since 2017. He started working with his K-9 partner, Brutus, four and a half years ago. He said that Brutus was originally selected by his K-9 Unit predecessor, Lt. Trace Erickson, who retired after working with three dogs. Erickson had won national awards with his K-9 partners, so Swedberg and Brutus had some big shoes – and paws – to fill.

Brutus is 5 1/2 years old, was imported from Slovakia and is a mix of half Dutch Shepherd and half German Shepherd. He trains constantly and lives with Swedberg and his family, and rides in the HCSO K-9 Unit squad car. Swedberg has a remote device for monitoring the inside temperature when he leaves Brutus outside in the car. But he said he frequently brings him into the office for his shifts.

Recently, Swedberg and Brutus competed for their certifications again, and this dynamic duo continued the excellence of the HCSO K-9 Unit with its showing at the annual USPCA Region 12 trials, held over three days in LeMars, Iowa.

Now, Swedberg has his own shelf of trophies for the achievements with Brutus, including First Place Overall at this year’s trials.

“The Patrol Dog (PD1) is one big trial for Obedience, Subject Search ‘people’, Article Search, Apprehension, and Apprehension with Gunfire,” said Swedberg. “Last year, we took first place in Obedience. This year, we took first place Overall, which combines all those certifications, and we placed second for Team.”

The Team portion of the competition is made up of four officers and their canines. Swedberg and Brutus were joined by two officers from Otter Tail County and one from the Fergus Falls Police Department.

Certification Process and Requirements

Swedberg and Brutus are highly trained and hold multiple certifications.

“We are certified for Narcotics [detection], including meth, heroine, coke, fentanyl and some variants,” said Swedberg. “We do it together. Each dog must be certified with its handler. If a different deputy would work with Brutus, that officer would have to certify with him. Even though Brutus is certified, the other deputy is not.”

Besides the Narcotics and PD1 certifications, they are also trained in Tracking. “We don’t have to certify for Tracking, but he does search for missing persons, too,” said Swedberg. “We helped search for a missing guy in Winona County a few months ago. We didn’t find him, but we helped and tried.” The 22-year-old man was safely located after several days in the rugged terrain.

Swedberg said they were not involved with the extensive July 2026 flooding event, but Brutus is trained to help in disasters if needed.

Funding for the HCSO K-9 Unit

“Most of our funding comes from community donations and applying for grants,” said Swedberg. The donations can be made via the Houston County K-9 Foundation, which has a Facebook page. “We also have t-shirt sales at the Houston County Fair every year.”