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Ossi joined the Mercer County Sheriff's Office in 2017, helping to carry out search warrants, assist in investigations, sniff out drugs and conduct rescue missions.
CELINA - After serving the Mercer County Sheriff's Office well, K-9 officer Ossi is retiring and going to live out his golden years with his handler, Patrick Forsthoefel.
Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman plans to replace Ossi, who will turn 10 in August, with a German shorthaired pointer, but for a completely different purpose - to sniff out drugs and other contraband brought into the Mercer County jail.
Timmerman recently told Mercer County commissioners that one of the sheriff's office's two K-9s - Ossi - is nearing the end of his service life and set to retire soon. Additionally, Ossi's handler, deputy Patrick Forsthoefel is being promoted to sergeant in the civil division.
"We … have a department policy, office policy, that a supervisor is not allowed to be a K-9 officer," Timmerman said.
Commissioners last week agreed to sell Ossi to Forsthoefel for $1, citing a section of Ohio Revised Code permitting the transaction.
In accordance with the law, Forsthoefel will assume all responsibility for Ossi and is required to execute a release of liability form with the county.
"If the dog goes home and bites somebody after Patrick owns it, it's not on the county anymore, that's on Patrick," Timmerman told commissioners. "Vet bills, all that, he absorbs all that from this point forward."
Ossi will live out his golden years with handler Patrick Forsthoefel, who is being promoted to sergeant in the sheriff's civil division.
Back in September 2017, commissioners facilitated then-Sheriff Jeff Grey's plans to add a second K-9 to enhance the office's capabilities, approving the purchase of Ossi from Von der Haus Gill German Shepherds of Wapakoneta. The dog, training and equipment cost $12,150, which was paid through the sheriff's office canine account, which is funded by donations.
The sheriff's office's K-9 units help carry out search warrants, assist in investigations, sniff out drugs and conduct rescue missions.
Commissioners last week also agreed to Timmerman's request to purchase a sniffer dog to begin taking over the function of an aging, contraband-detecting body scanner that could cost around $200,000 to replace.
Commissioners approved a $14,500 quote from Shallow Creek Kennels of Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, for a sniffer dog - likely a German shorthaired pointer best suited for the task - equipment and four weeks of training and lodging for a corrections officer who would be paired with the dog.
The Celina Moose donated $14,500 to cover the entire cost of acquiring the dog, Timmerman told The Daily Standard.
Training is set to take place in September.
"I think this is a great program, and I also think we can save money in the long run, and it'd be more effective than spending all that money up front on another body scanner that they can say is going to be fantastic, but is it?" Timmerman said.
County commissioners in 2017 approved Grey's request to purchase a body scanner system for $118,750 plus an extended warranty for $43,750, bringing the total cost to $162,500. Commissioners chose to purchase the unit from OD Security North America of Daniel Island.
The sheriff's office is still paying a $10,000 annual service fee on the body scanner, Timmerman noted.
Grey said at the time that as more drugs are making their way into the jail, it was necessary to follow the lead of other state correctional facilities and acquire a body scanner.
Before being processed through intake at the Mercer County jail, all incoming inmates are screened for contraband hidden inside or upon their person with the body scanner. The jail booked 997 inmates in 2022, according to the most current annual report on the jail's website.
Inmates are asked to stand facing away from the scanner as it makes an image of their fully clothed bodies.
"The body scanner was brought in during the heroin epidemic because of … arrestees hiding drugs in their body cavities," Timmerman said. "We all know the amount of liability that can happen in a jail. We certainly do not want an inmate to get sideways, overdose in our jail."
However, the body scanner is cumbersome and nearing the point of obsolescence, Timmerman emphasized.
"The body scanner takes up a huge footprint in there. The scans are terribly hard to read. We've had training on it, we've had the nurses down there looking at them," Timmerman said.
While undergoing sheriff's training, Timmerman said he spoke with some sheriffs who are ditching body scanners in favor of dogs. Timmerman visited Shallow Creek Kennels and was blown away by what he saw.
A German shorthaired pointer was strongly recommended for the jail, Timmerman said.
"They said they've got the strongest nose there is possible, and their demeanor's right for the jail," he noted.
"This is a work dog. This isn't an emotional support dog. It's not a dog for the inmates to pet," added chief deputy Martin Emerine.
Timmerman said a federal study found a canine program is more effective in identifying contraband than any scanner system on the market.
Before fully committing to around-the-clock use of a canine for contraband searches, Timmerman recommended trying things out with one dog.
"While the machine is still working … I wanted to implement this program and see how well the first dog does before we decide whether we're going to continue where we're going to try to have a dog on each shift," Timmerman said. "I think it's considerably cheaper."
Asked about adding another K-9 for law enforcement operations, Timmerman said it's a possibility down the road but his focus right now is on contraband detection.
"We're going to evaluate. Celina is down one (K-9). Coldwater's dog is getting ready to retire. I think (Deputy Spencer Heinl's K-9 Hex) will probably be the only dog in the county at that point," Timmerman said. "Now, that scares me, but without being disrespectful, I don't feel, like it's the sheriff's office job to have all the canine's in the county. If Celina needs us, we're coming … I'm not saying that. It's just we can't take on all the cost of everything all the time."
County officials in October 2019 approved transferring K-9 Franko from the sheriff's office to the Coldwater Police Department so the dog could continue serving alongside his handler Kevin Wynk, who left the office for a new job with the police department.
Also, the Celina Police Department had announced that K-9 officer Peng retired at the end of December after nine years of duty.
Celina Mayor Jeff Hazel said once the police department is brought back to a full-working staff, the city will look to replace Peng. Police chief Tom Wale noted that will probably happen in 2026.
The police department acquired Peng in early 2016 when the German shepherd was 20 months old. Tom and Betty Leininger and Craig and Kathryn Kennedy donated more than $11,000 for his purchase.
