VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office has welcomed its newest team member to help fight drug abuse in Hampton Roads.
Apollo, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, is partnered with Master Deputy Crystal Repass — the office's first woman K9 handler and a 16.5-year veteran of the VBSO, according to a news release.
The pair passed their first narcotic detection certification Tuesday through the Virginia Police Work Dog Association (VPWDA), according to the release. The certification included screenings of building interiors, vehicles, luggage and parcel screenings and couriers.
Apollo successfully alerted to ecstasy, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine.
The VBSO says that Apollo is also trained to recognize fentanyl though there is no fentanyl-certification process.
A VBSO couple, Sgt. Nancy Bass and Master Deputy Joe Bass, breed Belgian Malinois dogs. They donated Apollo to the sheriff's office last year.
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Apollo's keen sense of smell, agility and high level of training will make him a valuable asset in the fight against fentanyl and other drugs.
Master Deputy Repass has worked with the VBSO since October 2007 and has a passion for working with dogs. She has extensive training in canine handling, worked in correctional operations, intake/release and civil processes. Repass was named a Virginia Beach Neptune Festival's Hometown Hero in 2023.
The team's training took around six months to complete, according to the release. They will conduct searches of the Virginia Beach Correctional Center, public spaces and will help other law enforcement agencies with narcotic investigations.
