Remembering Jara: The Wyoming K-9 officer who had a cartel hit on her

Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Jara was one of the most successful drug enforcement officers the agency has ever had — so successful that a Mexican drug cartel once put a hit on her. She saved several lives and was part of operations that led to the seizure of more than $11 million in drug money and huge amounts of illegal drugs trafficked along Interstate 80. Jara also gained national attention when she was featured on the “Dr. Phil” show for saving a 4-year-old Rock Springs boy in 2019 who had wandered out of his family’s yard.

That she was a dog didn’t matter. When she died April 8 at nearly 13 years old, the SCSO and other local first responders gave Lieutenant Jara a hero’s sendoff with a long procession of vehicles with lights flashing, as is tradition for a fallen or retired officer.

The sheriff’s office had been considering putting her name on the side of its K-9 unit vehicle when it got word from an informant that there was “some heat on the dog.” Because she had been so successful sniffing out illegal drugs, those trying to move them through Sweetwater County wanted Jara out of the way. “When we got this information, we’re like, ‘No, we’re not going to tell them which car Jara is in,'” recalled Derek Morrell, her handler.

Jara was the first dual-purpose K-9 with the SCSO, meaning she was more than just a bomb or narcotics dog. She also did fugitive apprehension, tracking and article locations. “She paved the way to what the program is now here at the sheriff’s office,” Morrell told Cowboy State Daily. “We currently have three dual-purpose dogs that we use for search and rescue, all the way to apprehending fugitives.”

Jara was originally paired with another officer who could not handle her because she was so powerful. Morrell took over. During her seven-year career, Jara would go after a fugitive and then switch into another mode for a school presentation with kids enthusiastically petting her. “That’s where we really fell in love with her,” Morrell said.

Jara had only been with the sheriff’s office a short time when a 90-year-old man with Alzheimer’s wandered outside in freezing temperatures. Deputies searched without success. Jara hit the scent and pulled so hard the leash flew out of Morrell’s hand. She found the missing man in a ravine, laid with him to keep him warm, and barked to let searchers know their location. “That was our first time out of the chute,” Morrell said. “We were impressed by what this dog could do.”

Another rescue happened when a woman fled from a domestic abuse situation in a snowstorm. “Jara found the lady and actually climbed up in her jacket to keep the woman warm until we got there,” Morrell said.

In 2020, Jara was featured on “Dr. Phil” for saving a 4-year-old boy in Rock Springs in 2019 who had locked himself in a stranger’s car. It was getting hot inside, and the boy nearly passed out. Jara hit on the vehicle that otherwise would have been overlooked. When the show called, Morrell thought it was a prank and kept hanging up. Dr. Phil was a huge dog lover and spent time with Jara backstage after the show. Jara was also given the Heroic Dog Award by PETA for the rescue.

Because a cartel had ordered a hit on her, Jara received a custom-fit, bulletproof and stab-proof vest donated by Vested Interest in K-9s Inc. and the Alaska K-9 Center. The vest was contributed in honor of Helo, the first Alaska State trooper K-9 killed in the line of duty. All three current canines in Sweetwater County now have their own custom vests. “Jara set the standard,” Morrell said. “We are continuing the K-9 program and trying to get progressively better each time.” Jara retired on July 6, 2023, and enjoyed retirement with Morrell’s family before passing away peacefully in the arms of her fellow lieutenant. “I’m just grateful to have had the career with her that I had,” Morrell said. “It’s been really nice to see the impact that she had on others because I know she had a big impact on my life.”