PENDLETON – The Indiana State Police Pendleton District is proud to announce the addition of a new K-9 team. On December 3, 2024, Trooper Michael Thiron and his new partner, Ruger, graduated from the Indiana State Police K-9 Academy in Indianapolis.
The Indiana State Police K-9 Academy is a rigorous 12-week training program that prepares K-9 teams for a variety of law enforcement tasks, including obedience, tracking, area and building searches, article searches, aggression control, and narcotic detection.
Ruger, a 20-month-old Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix, will join Trooper Thiron in his ongoing efforts to counter the trafficking of illegal narcotics and crime across the Pendleton District.
Trooper Thiron, a nine-year veteran of the Indiana State Police, has been a K-9 handler for three years. Ruger will replace Thiron’s current partner, Yana, who is nearing retirement after years of dedicated service. “Being a K-9 handler is more than a job,” stated Thiron. ” It’s a partnership built on trust, discipline and an unbreakable bond.”
ISP is proud to have one of the largest and most highly regarded K-9 programs in the country, and Ruger’s addition further strengthens the agency’s commitment to keeping Indiana citizens safe.
