The Sheriff's Office K9 Unit currently consists of one K9 team: Deputy Henkel and Dax. Handler's are selected by the Sheriff from a list of volunteers who are willing to make a long committment to the program.

Dax is a German Shepherd born in Germany on June 9, 2003. He was imported from Germany in September 2006 by the Kasseburg Canine Training Center, located in New Market, Alabama. LSO representatives traveled to the Kasseburg Canine Training Center for a two day selection test in September before choosing Dax to return to Lancaster County. Dax attended training at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in obedience, drug detection, tracking, handler protection, article searches, and building searches during the final months of 2006 along with his new handler Deputy Jason Henkel.

Deputy Henkel started his law enforcement career several years ago as a police officer in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Henkel also brings experience from his time as a Gage County Sheriff's Deputy and as a police officer for the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. While at UNL, Henkel achieved the rank of sergeant. Deputy Henkel was hired by the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office in June of 2006. Henkel was assigned to the patrol division as a patrol deputy since his hire. In September of 2006, Deputy Henkel was selected to replace Sgt. Brent Moore as the Office's K9 deputy. Dax lives with Deputy Henkel and his family at their Lincoln home.

The K9 Unit is primarily funded through donations from private individuals and businesses. Donations are used to purchase new dogs and equipment as well as pay for veterinary care. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office welcomes citizen and business participation in sustaining this worthwhile program. Donations may be sent to:

Lancaster County Sheriff's Office
Bookkeeping - K9 Fund,
575 So. 10th Street
Lincoln, NE 68508

All LSO K9s keep their skills sharp through continuous training. Each week one shift is dedicated to ongoing training with the LSO and Lincoln Police Department K9 Units. The five K9 teams train together and maintain their dogs' talents and skills by setting up realistic scenarios. Each scenario is created to give the dogs the illusion that they are working a typical call. The handlers will take turns playing the "criminal" so that the K9s can perform their tasks. Without this dedicated training, the dogs can lose their skills and not be as effective during an actual deployment.