JAMES CITY COUNTY— Bailey, the James City County police’s yellow lab, just celebrated her third birthday and has already racked up quite a few honors in her three years on the force.
Bailey was introduced to the force when James City County launched its first ever K-9 Unit in late 2024.
According to the county, establishing the K-9 Unit was a collaborative effort involving officers, professional staff, and various County employees. Over the course of nearly a year, significant research and planning were dedicated to designing a program that would meet James City County’s specific needs. This initiative required extensive coordination in areas such as budgeting, resource management, and the acquisition of specialized equipment. The support and expertise of surrounding agencies were instrumental in bringing the program to life.
Master Police Officer Ryan Ellis, Bailey’s handler, was introduced to her in October 2024.
“I started my career in K-9 for the United States Marine Corps and it has been an amazing opportunity to continue to serve the James City County community as one of the first K-9 officers for JCCPD. Having Bailey as my partner is one of the most rewarding career choices I have made over my last nine years with JCCPD,” Ellis shared.
Throughout her time on the force, Bailey has been trained as a narcotics detection and tracking K-9. She has had over 130 deployments which has resulted in 30 narcotics arrests and 17 tracks for missing/runaway children or adult dementia patients.
She has also amassed over 800 training hours in narcotics detection and tracking.
“She’s not only my partner but the one officer that goes to every call with me and has my back no matter what. She’s been a great asset to the county and if her legacy can open more opportunities for other K-9 positions within the Police Department, I truly believe we will have an opportunity to make a larger impact on public safety for the citizens of James City County,” Ellis added.