New K-9 narcotics team certified for KCSO

Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 30, 2026

Since mid-July, K-9 Ivy and her handler, Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputy Breanna Emery, have hit the streets following certification as a new narcotics investigation team.

Ivy is a 17-month-old rescue black lab who is specifically trained to identify heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Emery said they are a “packaged deal” as they live, train, and work together. KCSO hasn’t previously had a dedicated narcotics K-9 team for many years.

The pair went through 200 hours of training to meet state-required certification requirements. “Ivy was super great…they have to be willing to jump up on counters and get into small spaces, things you don’t normally want a dog to do,” she said. “You see how ball-driven they are. Since her reward is a toy, she needs to be all about that. She has to be…pretty good at working, like always having her nose to the ground, wanting to smell things,” she said.

Training topics included: canine first aid, how to read a dog’s behavior, search techniques, and case law, among others. After certification, Emery said they train at least four hours a week to stay on top of their skills.

Emery said learning to work with the specific dog is important, including building a bond with them, which allows them to work and play together more effectively. Emery said the narcotics team is a new tool for enforcing drug laws. While it’s not a standalone unit, Emery said it’s a step in the right direction for the agency’s ability to increase local drug enforcement efforts.

The patrol deputy said they are certified as a team, adding, “If something happened to me, let’s say, or if something happened to her and we split up, and she got a new handler, they would have to get recertified. Or if I got a new dog, we would have to get recertified. So we’re not certified individually; it’s the team together,” she said.

While Ivy and Emery primarily serve Kitsap County, they are also available to help other deputies and detectives conduct their investigations as well as neighboring agencies as needed. Regarding equipment, Ivy doesn’t currently have her own bulletproof vest. Emery said she’s not typically deployed to active incidents; however, this is something the agency may reevaluate in the future

Emery said she still responds to 911 calls as a patrol deputy in addition to the narcotics team, describing the role as a balancing act on the road. She often responds to calls she and Ivy could more easily step away from, such as a cold burglary call. However, she still responds to in-progress calls to help balance the call volume and workload for the agency.

During idle moments, Ivy enjoys playing fetch and lying around. Additionally, they often take opportunities to go hiking or to lakes to give Ivy opportunities to get used to new environments together. Emery said she’s a dog person and has her own dog in addition to Ivy.

“Probably one of the best jobs you could have in law enforcement is being a canine handler, and narcotics is perfect for me. And initially, it was very nerve-wracking because you’re just learning so much information, and then hitting the streets…she knows way more than I do just with (her) nose alone. So if she says that there’s no odor there, I believe that there’s no odor there,” Emery said. “It’s definitely a big learning curve that we’re still getting used to, but it’s been amazing.”