When tragic things happen, law enforcement officers and emergency personnel can be found heading right into the middle of the danger zone.

They all play a critical and, in many instances, dangerous, role in our municipalities each day.

Most of the time, those we see are human. But just as vital are those K-9 officers who provide our community an added level of protection in those dangerous situations.

Just like their handlers, these K-9s are specially trained for a myriad of potential situations that may arise, and we have been fortunate for many years here in Lawrence County to have those units.

Last week, Hemi, a K-9 officer with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office retired from duty after a decade of service. Hemi and his handler Deputy Scott Wilson have been partners since 2007, and Hemi has performed his duties as a valued asset to the department.

We all know that drugs have reached epidemic proportions in our area, and having K-9 units that visit local schools to check can be a vital resource to curb our youth from becoming addicted as adults.

There is certainly a long way to go, but having any and all resources like our K-9 units to help in the fight certainly helps.