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NHP honors fallen trooper by naming K9 officer after him

Posted at 4:31 PM, Oct 07, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-07 19:31:47-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On Oct. 8, the Nevada Highway Patrol's Southern Command will be welcoming a new crime fighter into the ranks.

This new crime-fighter has 4 legs and his nose can smell 40 time’s greater than that of his human partner.

NHP is welcoming Skipper as the newest member of the Nevada Highway Patrol K9 team.

RELATED: Celebration of life scheduled for NHP Sgt. Ben Jenkins

Skipper is a one-year-old German Short Haired Pointer and will be assigned to a Trooper in the Las Vegas area.

NHP says Skipper has been trained and certified in narcotics detection.

When it came time to name the new K9, the K9 team decided to name him Skipper in memory of the late Sgt. Ben Jenkins.

On March 27 Sgt. Ben Jenkins was shot and killed in the line of duty by a motorist he had stopped to help in Ely.

RELATED: Nevada Highway Patrol to honor fallen sergeant with patch

Everyone that knew Sgt. Ben Jenkins knew him as an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and loved his new boat.

He enjoyed his boat so much that amongst his friends and coworkers he received the nickname “Skipper."

Sgt. Ben Jenkins was also an animal lover and for a period of time in his career as a State Trooper, he worked as a K9 handler and was partnered with K9 Thor a Belgian Malinois.

To honor his memory the K9 team decided to name the new K9 Skipper.