A Florida deputy demanded to remain with his K-9 dog in a bizarre blackmail attempt against his department.
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Braxton Haight threatened to leak embarrassing footage unless his disciplinary history was wiped clean and he kept his canine partner.
Haight claims that he has an audio recording of Sheriff Steve Whidden making a derogatory comment. He did not specify what the remark was.
Fox News reported that Haight suspected he was going to be fired and left his superior a voicemail on Tuesday to set up a private meeting. Investigators claim that keeping his K-9 companion topped his list of commands. Haight also demanded that all disciplinary actions be removed from his file.
According to court documents, the blackmail didn't go over too well.
Not only did his record go unchanged, but the very sheriff he threatened arrested him on the spot, adding yet another crime to his ledger.
Hendry County Sheriff's Office said that the meeting and subsequent arrest happened on Tuesday around 4 PM. Haight was taken into custody on a felony extortion charge.
Fox News reported that Haight is being held at Hendry County Jail on $10,000 bail.
Florida state law classifies blackmail as a second-degree felony. The crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and can also carry a $10,000 fine.
The HCSO did not specify whether the K-9 would be assigned a new partner following Haight's arrest.
Thousands of Police Officers Have K-9 Partners
Basic police training for K-9 dogs usually takes between 3 and 6 months.
Roughly 50,000 police officers nationwide are K-9 handlers, according to 3DK9.com.
German shepherds, bloodhounds, dogerman and beagles are among the most common canine police partners.
Some estimates suggest that police dogs can cost between $15,000 and $45,000 to acquire. Police departments often spend nearly $10,000 to train the highly intelligent canines.
San Diego Police Officer Jason Langley, the 2024 Canine Handler of the Year, discussed what makes the role so demanding.
"You need to know how to handle this four-legged animal that has its own thoughts, has its own behaviors. It's definitely balancing a lot between being a good officer and being able to handle these high-drive dogs. Ideally, for a couple of years, you want to come out and decoy [before applying for a K-9 position], playing the role of the bad guy, putting the bite suit on and taking bites for the dogs," he told A&E.
