Sgt. Cook and Timbo Join Grapeland PD

By Greg Ritchie

Messenger Reporter

Above picture: GPD Chief Dale Linebaugh welcomes new officers Patrol Sgt. Bryan Cook (right) and three-year-old Timbo, soon set to begin their patrols on the streets of Grapeland. 

GRAPELAND –  Many Houston County residents born and raised here may have heard stories of the level of crime in bigger cities. For those who moved here from some of those cities, no explanation is needed. They appreciate the low crime and friendly neighbors who learn your name and look out for you when you need help. 

While every barrel will have its bad apples, one of the major problems facing a city like Grapeland are the transit of everything from narcotics to people, smuggled through the area between the big cities to try and avoid detection on the bigger highways. You have to give them their due: some of the criminal gangs have become experts at hiding both their illicit cargo and themselves – and law enforcement is constantly looking for ways to turn the odds back in their favor. 

With the installation of new Grapeland Police Department (GPD) Chief Dale Linebaugh last month, positive changes in keeping the city safe have been quick to come to fruition. Telling The Messenger he had his eye on developing a K9 program, Linebaugh tapped a former fellow officer from Anderson County, Patrol Sgt. Bryan Cook to help with the effort. Cook came on the force a couple of weeks ago and this week took delivery of Timbo, the newest member of the force.

Timbo, a Belgian Malinois, was delivered to the force this week and The Messenger was able to meet the new officers and give one of them some scratching behind the ears to welcome them to Grapeland. 

Timbo, now three, was born and spent those three years training in Belgium, before being sent to another facility in Texas, where he made his way to GPD. Adorned with badge and special harness to be used during the initial stages of training with Cook, the two will begin a more intense period of training and getting to know each other, before the official patrols will begin. The bad guys won’t know what hit them. 

Police departments around the world often use this breed because they are highly driven, not fearful and are very trainable. They are smaller than German Shepherds, so they can fit in tighter spaces when doing searches.

Timbo was wary of an unknown reporter person invading his space, but once assured everything was alright, soon became more puppy, tail wagging and appreciating the attention. 

Timbo already proved his merits to Cook during their initial meeting, sniffing out illegal substances on his first pass, although he will be able to track both narcotics and people, once out on the job.

Timbo will live with Cook, binding the two together even further. A dog lover himself, Cook said it’s his first time to work as a K9 officer, something right off his “bucket list.” Cook, originally from Jasper, has been in law enforcement since 2013, and jumped at the chance to join GPD and help create the new unit. 

While the two officers are just getting to know each other, the tight bond is already clear, as Timbo barely takes his eyes off Cook, waiting for a command, barely looking away long enough  to make a picture for the local newspaper. And if you think you can fool Timbo into letting you get away, you’d better bring some language skills with you. 

“All of our communication is in French,” Cook laughed, admitting he never thought learning French might be part of his career in law enforcement. “It’s French, but we use our own phrases only we understand.”

Timbo will have to train hard, as before he hits the streets he will have to qualify for his National Narcotic Drug Detector Dog Association certificate. The two will be tracking people, substances and if need be, Timbo will more than happy to take a bad guy to the ground, if needed.

“We know there’s quite a bit of drug activity in Grapeland and much more that passes through on the highway,” Chief Linebaugh said. “This is going to give us a big leg up on being able to apprehend them.”

Funding for Timbo was donated by Darling Ingredients, while the mobile vehicle to transport the two was donated by NUCOR-Vulcraft. Linebaugh was grateful for the businesses and the community working together to bring the program to the city. 

Most of those thinking of doing wrong around Grapeland may not be avid readers of The Messenger. Whether they know it yet or not, Sgt. Cook and Timbo will soon be on the roads, on patrol, sniffing out the bad guys and making Grapeland a little safer. 

Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]