I   t is no secret that law enforcement plays a critical and, in many cases, a dangerous role in our communities each day.

We often see law enforcement personnel patrolling and keeping our neighborhoods, streets and highways safer. But one of the lesser-seen assets are the K-9 units serving throughout Lawrence County that provide an additional layer of protection.

Just like municipal, village, sheriff’s department and Highway Patrol officers, K-9 dog units are specially and uniquely trained to aid in enforcing the law.

We are fortunate to have these K-9 units in service that assist their handlers and other officers in instances where drugs could be hidden in vehicles, among other things.

We all know that drugs are a serious problem throughout the region, to the point of an epidemic, and the occurrences where drugs are a factor are becoming far too familiar.

We have a long way to go before the drug problems we face will ever be lessened, but if these K-9 units are able to help prevent even one instance of these drugs reaching the streets, the value of these four-legged officers simply cannot be measured.