KUDOS to SHIELDED SOULS: Making a difference in the WAR on Trafficking
Shielded Souls LE/MC is a non-profit riding organization that looks to provide support to veterans and local law enforcement. With chapters across Michigan, they have looked for ways to make a difference as an organization.
In looking into how to fight child abuse and trafficking as effectively as possible, Craig Bogart, Shielded Souls President, said they quickly realized that funding a K-9 unit specializing in finding electronic devices was their best course of action.
“The best way we could find that we could help was to purchase one of these dogs and place him,” Bogart said. “Shielded Souls has a lot of members, but if we worked every day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we couldn’t do the amount of good that this dog could do with one bust.”
Through a variety of events and fund raising efforts, they raised over $12,000 to cover the cost of a dog and training. They identified the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department for not only receiving the dog but to assume the ongoing costs such as a specialized vehicle, equipment, and of course an Officer – or in this case, a Deputy – to partner with the dog.
So, on May 27th Deputy James Leidel of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department completed his training with STRETCH – an American yellow Labrador. It was a 12 week training program for Stretch – with Leidel coming in for the final two weeks.
OFFICIAL RELEASE: From Monroe County Sherrif Troy Goodnough
Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough announces the addition of Stretch and his handler, Deputy James Liedel to the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Team. Stretch is an American yellow Labrador Retriever born on July 15, 2020. Stretch is considered a Red Labrador as his color is dark. Stretch is certified in electronic device detection, which includes sim cards, SD cards, flash drives, computers, tablets, hard drives and cell phones. Electronic devices are a main source of information related to human trafficking investigations. With that being said, Stretch will be used in a variety of law enforcement related activities including being a member of the Sheriff’s Office VIPER Task force and utilized in all human trafficking related investigations.
Stretch is the third certified electronic detection canine in the state of Michigan. The other two canines belong to the Michigan State Police in Lansing. The services of Stretch and Deputy Liedel will be made available to all law enforcement agencies in the State of Michigan upon request.
The Sheriff would like to thank the Shielded Souls Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club for their generous donation. The donation covered the purchase of Stretch and all the costs related to his training at the Todd Jordan K-9 Academy in Indiana. Deputy Liedel participated in a highly intensive two-week handler course at the end of the 12-week academy with Stretch. Stretch was released to the Sheriff’s Office following him and Deputy Liedel’s certification on May 27, 2022. The Shielded Souls named Stretch after a distinguished fallen member of their club who was one of the driving forces behind the fundraising event to support the canine. This electronic device canine would not have been a reality absent their significant donation.
Members of the Shielded Souls recently met at the Sheriff’s Office for a meet, greet, and photograph with Stretch.
