The Grand County Sheriff’s Office announced the newest addition to its K9 unit — meet Apollo.

Apollo has been partnered with his handler, Sergeant Nate Opsahl. He is a 1-year-old German shepherd who was born in Poland, speaks Dutch and enjoys working hard to play with his favorite ball on a rope toy.

He is certified in patrol and narcotics detection. Opsahl and Apollo recently returned to Grand County after spending seven weeks training together at The Next Level Canine Institute in Lapoint, Utah.

A Colorado native, Opsahl has worked in law enforcement since 2005. He has been a K9 handler for the past 16 years; Apollo will be the third police dog he has been partnered with. Recently retired in February after working with Opsahl, 10-year-old K9 Danny has eased into retirement mode and appreciates the extra cuddles at home.

“The addition of K9 Apollo further strengthens and increases our ability to provide support and resources for our law enforcement community,” Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin stated. “K9 Apollo is a tool that we will use to help keep our community safe as we combat illegal behavior and narcotics in Grand County.”

The purchase and training of K9 Apollo was made possible by funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program through the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. This program is the leading source of federal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions.