The month’s Serve and Protect is on Sergeant Raymond Davis and Mako from the K-9 unit at the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.
Davis is from Charleston County originally attending Garrett High School and moved to Colleton County when he was a sophomore attending Colleton County High School. He started work at Coastal Food Distributors after graduation and eventually went to work for a chemical plant in Charleston. Davis has been married to his wife Michelle for 35 years, they have three children, and five grandchildren.
Davis interest in public service began in 2015. Davis explains, “In 2015 my wife and oldest son got in a vehicle accident and were critically injured. He spent 69 days in the hospital at MUSC, in which three weeks of that was in a medically induced coma. A small town has a way of rallying when people are in trouble. I took time off from work, my wife took off as well because we were going back and forth to the hospital. This community rallied around us, and basically, we stayed afloat with help from the community. People will walk up to us at a gas station when they see us and hand us $100 bill. Law enforcement was something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a child, but it never played out in my life. I’m a Christian person. It dawned on me, God was telling me, time for you to give back.”
Davis spoke to Sheriff Strickland went in for interview, and was hired. Upon completion of the police Academy, he was assigned his first canine, and then was assigned Victor and handled him for two years, Victor passed away recently.
Davis went to work for Jasper County Sheriff’s Office working narcotics. That’s where he acquired Mako. Davis explains, “Mako was donated by John of Southern Marsh Kennel out of Ridgeland. A citizen went to him and said, ‘I want to know what it’ll cost to buy that dog and donate it to law enforcement’. They met, came up with a deal and Mako was given to me.”
Davis has been certified as a canine handler through American Society of Canine Trainers International which is who certifies their handlers. He is a trainer with them and looking to get instructor certified within the next year.
Sergeant Davis along with Mako came back to the Colleton County Sheriff’s Department in 2019. They started having a lot of success in tracking and narcotics recovery. Davis says “Mako is a full patrol dog, he will apprehend subjects, assist in handler protection, find narcotics, and track suspects.”
Davis oversees the canine program growing the department from one dog to seven canines. All seven are tracking dogs. They also have two dual purpose dogs which are dope, narcotics, and tracking. We also have two patrol dogs, which is what Mako is trained to do, and then we have the other three that are strictly tracking dogs.
Sergeant Davis explains Mako’s role as a patrol dog, “A patrol dog encompasses handler protection, so if I get out on traffic stop, we have a button on our vest, that will pop the door open if I’m getting beat up. Mako will come out immediately, protect me, and apprehend a violent suspect. I love tracking with the dog. Absolutely love having the dog and working narcotics with Mako. That is my passion, narcotics. And of course, you ask anybody that has any knowledge of actually running the dog. There’s no thrilling rush like tracking another human being and apprehending the suspect.”
Davis like to demonstrate the dog’s capabilities, “We do demos at schools, summer camps, churches, and any type of outings we will upon request.” Just call the sheriff’s office to set up a demonstration.”
Davis adds, “It’s a joy working with Mako and the K-9 Unit. The sheriff is very passionate about his canine program, and we have absolutely established a unit that will compare to any unit across the United States. I believe that wholeheartedly you can take either one of our dogs and they’ll go find people and that’s awesome. The hardest part of anything you do with canine is going through those goods, all obstacles, all the elements, you know, hot, cold, wet, swamp water, and to find that person that’s running from you. So absolute horror and the most stressful and but on the other hand, it’s very rewarding.
