Meet The Newest Webster County Deputy, Zeus

WEBSTER COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Webster County has a new deputy in town.

The department bought their new K9 a few weeks ago, and he’s getting to know his new handler and work family.

Chief Deputy Jeff Mann says the K9 was a big need in Webster County.

The department had been without one for about a year.

“He’s happy-go-lucky with people, but when it’s time to work, he’s ready to go,” says Webster County Handler, John Stone.

Zeus is a three-year-old Hungarian Shepherd.

When he jumps in the car with his handler, he knows it’s time to go to work.

And when the sirens start ringing, he starts singing.

“This dog didn’t cost taxpayers a dime. Everything came straight from donations. Once we posted that we were looking to get another dog, the donations came in just almost immediately. I’d say within two to three days, we had enough money already to purchase the dog,” says Webster County Chief Deputy Jeff Mann.

The Webster County Sheriff’s Department bought Zeus from the Charleston Police Department in the delta.

Fortunately for Webster County, that town no longer had a need for him.

“We really just got lucky. We began to look and had somebody call in and say they had one for sale and we went over and looked at him and immediately, we knew that was going to be the dog for us.”

John Stone was ecstatic when he found out Zeus was going to be his new partner.

For the last three weeks, they’ve been getting to know each.

“It’s just like any other animal. You play with him, get him out, let him get to know you, goes everywhere with me. We play in the yard with my kid, so he’s just part of the family now.”

And he’s also a part of the war on drugs.

“The growing complaint across the state, you know, is the crystal meth, so without K9s, you know, you’re kind of stepping on your own feet, if you don’t have a way to get in and find the narcotics.”

Sniffing drugs isn’t the only thing Zeus brings to the county.

“Search and rescue. If somebody is missing in the woods, we can let him go and find them. Bite on command, if we’ve got a subject barricaded in the house, instead of putting an officer’s life in danger, we can send a dog.”

Deputies say it will take a few more weeks of retraining and certification before the new deputy dog hits the streets.