Arrest, Drugs K-9 Sgt. Mafia Retires From Washington Co., Tennessee Sheriff’s Office

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL) — A K-9 officer for the Washington County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) has retired after a seven-year career of taking drugs off the streets and arresting suspects.

According to the WCSO, K-9 Sgt. Mafia is hanging up her ballistic vest to enjoy a peaceful retirement with her best friend and handler, Officer Michael Webb. Mafia joined the WCSO in 2017, the department said.

Photo: WCSO

Deputy Webb is her only point of contact and WCSO said he and his family are happy to be able to keep her as she enjoys a happy retirement.

“Mafia’s nose for narcotics and her detective work will be missed, but every handler knows when it’s time for their dog to retire and we respect that,” Sheriff Keith Sexton said. “The good news is she’ll stay with the Webbs and have a great retirement.”

The Washington County Commission officially approved Mafia’s resignation during its meeting Monday night.

According to the WCSO, Sgt. Mafia was the only female working dog in the force until K-9 Sheba was introduced in 2023.

According to the WCSO, Sgt. Mafia has found drugs and weapons used in the commission of crimes during her career and has helped track down several suspects who were on the run or hiding from officers.

According to the WCSO, Sgt. Mafia is known for her assertiveness. She repeatedly arrests suspects without biting them. When they saw her, they surrendered.

The sheriff’s office noted a specific drug bust that Mafia was working on, where she found 4.45 pounds of methamphetamine in a vehicle. That case is still pending in court, WCSO reported.

When asked about Sgt. Mafia’s longest search, Deputy Webb said she had been following a robbery suspect for more than a mile when she stopped in a field to warn about a cigarette lighter. Webb said Mafia wouldn’t go any further until he retrieved the lighter.

“Once the suspect was located, I asked him if he had dropped anything along the way,” Deputy Webb said. “He stated that he had somehow lost his lighter, which I retrieved from my pocket and the suspect identified him.”

The WCSO wished Sgt. Mafia the best in her retirement and noted that she is in very good hands with the Webb family.