The West Fargo Police Department is excited to announce the newest member of the K-9 Unit, K-9 Thor. K-9 Thor is an 18-month old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois cross from the United States. K-9 Thor and his handler, Officer Matthew Oldham, are certified in narcotics, patrol and tracking. K-9 Thor is sponsored through an anonymous $15,000 donation to the K-9 Unit. 

“The West Fargo Police Department is incredibly fortunate to have amazing support from the community,” said Chief Denis Otterness. “Through a generous donation such as this, we are able to enhance our ability to protect and serve the residents of West Fargo.”

K-9 Thor and Officer Oldham join the K-9 Unit after completing a four-week training course together in Iowa. K-9 Thor received an additional five months of training before being paired with Officer Oldham. K-9 Thor will replace K-9 Macho who retired with the promotion of Assistant Chief Pete Nielsen.

The West Fargo Police Department has three K-9’s and handlers within the unit. The three K-9’s were deployed over 200 times in 2021. The K-9 Unit is invaluable in protecting officers, locating drugs, tracking suspects and participating in community events. When not at work, the K-9s live with their handlers and are a part of their families. More information on the West Fargo Police Department’s K-9 Unit is available online.