Williamson County K9 Team makes first successful track

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill., (KBSI) — The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is recognizing Deputy Trey Waldrop and his K9 partner, Atari, for their first successful deployment in the line of duty.

On Oct. 10, 2025, deputies responded to a report of a violation of pretrial release in Cambria. Deputy Waldrop deployed K9 Atari to track a suspect who had fled the scene.

After announcing their presence, Atari quickly picked up the trail, leading deputies through tall grass and dense vegetation. The K9 located the suspect about 60 yards from the residence, where the individual was attempting to hide.

Thanks to the teamwork of Deputy Waldrop, K9 Atari, and other responding deputies, the suspect was safely taken into custody without further incident.

The Sheriff’s Office said the successful track marks the start of what is expected to be a long and impactful partnership between Waldrop and Atari. The pair graduated from the K9 training academy at Dowdy Dogs in St. Louis on Sept. 5, 2025, and began serving the citizens of Williamson County shortly thereafter.