Cattaraugus County Sheriff's K-9s (K9 / Canine)

K-9 Deputy Nichols

Cattaraugus County Road Patrol Canine, Deputy Nichols, a two year old German Shepard, started training with his handler, Deputy Tim Pence in April 2018.  He is a dual purpose canine trained in narcotics and patrol and certified in tracking and article search.  They are both members of the Special Response Team and have helped the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force on several cases as well.  This is the first time that a canine was exclusively assigned to an actual road patrol position for the Sheriff's Office.  Deputy Pence and K-9 Nichols have to do maintenance training one day a week.  They collaborate with all of the other canine handlers in the surrounding counties for the training.  It is a great way to support our fellow officers and provide and receive mutual aid to those when needed.  The Sheriff would like to thank the Randolph Veterinary Clinic for their services, Purina for their food, Amish Valley Sheds for the housing they provide for Nichols, Larry and Sue Speiser of Hamburg a GPS tracking collar, and non-profit organization Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc with the fund raising efforts of the Cattaraugus-Little Valley School District a bullet and stab protective vest.

Sheriff Whitcomb and Deputy Pence agreed to name Nichols after our late Undersheriff Billy Nichols, who passed away in 2015 after 30 years of law enforcement service and a lengthy battle with leukemia.

K-9 Lex

K-9 Lex, a 2 year old German Shepherd, who is assigned as a patrol narcotics K9 from the Czech Republic. Lex was generously funded by the Seneca Nation of Indians to help fight the war on drugs in Cattaraugus County. She is certified in the detection of Illegal Narcotics, human tracking, area searches and suspect apprehension. Lex is named in honor of Senior Dispatcher Timothy Lexer who tragically passed away in the summer of 2024. K-9 Lex is assigned to the midnight patrol with her handler Deputy Grimm. The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's office would like to thank Triple R Camping Resort and Trailer Sales on the generous donation given to purchase a ballistic vest to help keep Lex safe on patrol!

K-9 Cash

K-9 Cash will be accompanied by his handler Deputy Justin Kehr. K-9 Cash was purchased through a contract between the Seneca Nation of Indians and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office providing police services on the Seneca Nation Territory. Cash is a 21 month old German Shepherd trained in patrol, criminal apprehension, tracking, article search and handler protection.

K-9 Echo

K-9 Echo and his handler Deputy Salvatore Seitz will be working road patrol throughout the county during their assigned shifts. Echo was purchased upon an initiative of Sheriff Butler. He is also a 21 month old German Shepherd who is trained in patrol, criminal apprehension, tracking, article search and handler protection.

K-9 Nitro

K-9 Nitro is a 15 month old male German shorthaired Pointer trained in explosive, firearms detection and tracking. Nitro and his handler Deputy Shannon Worner are certified through NAPWDA in all categories and will continue their training and become certified through NYS DCJS within one year. Every training is vital to their work and they will continue training every week from here on out.We would like to thank West Valley Demonstration Project for donating the money to the Sheriff's Office to purchase Nitro and the upfit of the deputy’s patrol car to be set up for a K-9. We would also like to thank Ashford for their committed support to Deputy Worner and K-9 Nitro.

Critical Incident K-9 and Wellness Dog Program

The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office is also proud to announce the launch of its Critical Incident K9 and Wellness Dog Program, designed to support the emotional well-being and resilience of both first responders and the community following traumatic or high-stress events.

The new program introduces specially trained K9 that will serve in two key capacities:

• Critical Incident Response Dogs – deployed to provide emotional support to first responders and community members affected by traumatic events.
• Wellness Dogs – are assigned to support the mental health and morale of Sheriff’s Office staff, visiting stations, dispatch centers, jail and other workspaces to promote emotional wellness and reduce occupational stress.

“These dogs bring comfort, connection, and calm in the midst of chaos,” said Sheriff Butler. “Our deputies, dispatchers and other first responders see and experience difficult situations every day. The Critical Incident K9 and Wellness Dog Program allows us to address the emotional impact of those experiences while also helping our community heal.”

The program is part of the Sheriff’s Office’s broader Wellness and Critical Incident Response Team, which focuses on proactive mental health support, peer counseling, and community engagement. The K9 teams will receive specialized training in stress response, crisis intervention, and trauma-informed support.

The first member of the team, K-9 DJ, and handler Deputy Pence, will be completing a certification program once DJ reaches a certain age. Currently DJ and Deputy Pence are assigned to Randolph Central School. They will begin serving immediately in both internal wellness visits and community critical incident responses.

“Our goal is simple,” Sheriff Butler added. “We want to make sure that our people and our community know—it’s okay not to be okay, and help is always available.”

The Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office joins a growing number of law enforcement agencies nationwide that recognize the vital role of wellness initiatives in building resilience and improving overall mental health.

Community members may see the Critical Incident K9 and Wellness K9 at public events, schools, and first responder facilities in the coming months as part of ongoing outreach and engagement efforts.