March 24, 2015 (Photos by Shelby County Today) - The Center Police Department and K-9 handler, Sgt. Scott Burkhalter, would like to announce the bitter sweet retirement of K-9 Officer Zltan. In 2009, The Rotary Club donated $10,000 to the Center Police Department to get a much needed drug detection dog and we found Zitan in Broussard, La. at the K-9 Concepts Police Dog training facility.
There were four dogs to choose from, but there was no other dog like Zitan. Sgt. Burkhalter immediately knew that Zitan would be a great asset to this department and to the City of Center. Since then, Sgt. Burkhalter and Zitan have been on many narcotic search warrants, traffic stops and bus stops. We have been on call throughout Shelby County and have made many drug busts.
In the years we have had Zitan; we have been to the local schools for the kids to meet him and many other functions. Zitan has loved every minute of it. We have also certified annually through the National Narcotics Detector Dog Association and competed in National Competitions, in which Zitan has always placed well.
Now, due to health reasons, Zitan is being retired and going to go home with Sgt. Burkhalter and his family. Now there is a new narcotics detection dog coming soon, Jansci —~ aka “TAZ." This new dog was donated to the Center Police Department by the K.-9 Officers Inc. organization out of Katy, TX.
Sgt. Burkhalter will be attending the Houston K-9 Academy to train with the new dog. Jansci comes to us straight out of Europe and is fully trained for narcotics detection.
Jansci is a Malaherd, a German Shepherd and Belgian Malnois rnix, making him a perfect breed for narcotics detection. Fatah and Sgt. Burkhalter have enjoyed serving the citizens of Center and Sgt.
Burkhalter will continue to do so but with a new K-9 partner, Jansci.
Sincerely,
Jim Albers
Chief of Police
