Westmoreland County Sheriff Starts K-9 Unit Without Approval

Westmoreland County Sheriff James Albert placed a new explosive detection K-9 unit on duty Wednesday despite a lack of formal approval from county commissioners. The dispute centers on the financial obligations and procedural authority required to deploy the dog and its handler. Commissioners responded by stating they would review all available options to address the situation.

The conflict began in June when Albert announced the arrival of Makro, a 2.5-year-old German shepherd-Belgian Malinois mix. Albert stated that donations covered all costs for feeding, housing, transporting, and training the animal. He argued that the program was designed to have no direct cost to the county, making it difficult for commissioners to reject. "We made this program so there is no cost so they can’t say no to this," Albert said Wednesday.

Commissioners argue Albert failed to communicate before acquiring the dog. Commissioner Ted Kopas criticized the sheriff for not presenting the plan earlier. "At this point I don’t know if this is willful mismanagement, gross negligence or incompetence," Kopas said. The commissioners maintain they support the concept of a K-9 program in theory but have concerns about the specific expenses involved.

In a letter sent on Monday, Albert asserted his statutory authority to operate the office without interference. He declared the program would start on Oct. 28, 2026, to assist local police and improve safety for deputies. Albert noted that Deputy Joshua Porter, Makro’s handler, had been off work for 51 days to facilitate training during the delay. This absence cost Porter more than $10,080 in pay, a sum Albert said the deputy is not seeking to be reimbursed for.

Commissioners have set conditions for approval that Albert has not accepted. They demand the elimination of one full-time or two part-time deputy sheriff positions to offset the unit's costs. They also point to a requirement for 30 minutes of daily overtime for police canine handlers under state law. The commissioners question the assignment of Makro and Porter to the fugitive warrant division, a unit Albert temporarily halted earlier this week after the paid suspension of its section leader.

The county officials argue that adding the K-9 team to the warrant unit increases the cost of an already expensive operation. They note that the warrant team has accrued tens of thousands of dollars in overtime this year. Commissioners also contend that Makro remains contractually tied to his handler rather than the county until a final agreement is reached. They state Albert lacked the authority to enter into compensation agreements with unions representing the more than 70 deputies in the office.

Albert confirmed the warrant team operations are currently paused as he reorganizes the unit. The K-9 team will be deployed across the county. In the coming weeks, the pair will inspect holding cells in district judge offices for potential firearms. Commissioners signed a letter Wednesday warning that the sheriff had no authority to implement the program unilaterally.