40 Under 40: Luis Jimenez
Lewis Jimenez and Uno
Luis Jimenez has been a deputy with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office for years and is working with his third K-9 officer, K-9 Uno, as a dog handler for GCSO. He has previously worked with K-9s Zedd and Chicka.
Jimenez has told our reporters on multiple occasions that he wanted to join GCSO since Ric Char, a GCSO officer, coached his soccer team when Jimenez was in high school. Char was a K-9 handler at the time, and as Jimenez worked his way into the department, Char passed Chicka on to Jimenez after getting promoted to sergeant.
Jimenez was recently promoted to corporal himself, said Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete. As a result, he’s officially taken on more of a leadership role, though he’s always set a good example for other deputies.
“It’s really great having a highly motivated and highly respected deputy be promoted to corporal to carry and mentor young deputies,” Kriete said.
Zedd is retired now, leading to GCSO purchasing Uno to take his place on the force. While Kriete said Zedd is enjoying retirement, Jimenez is working with Uno to firm up his training and ensure he performs well in the field when officers need him at his best.
Kriete said he’s been impressed with Jimenez’s dedication to the K-9 program, not just within GCSO but within the Columbia Basin as a whole. Jimenez works with other officers to make sure dogs are trained properly and is at most fundraising events for the program, not because he has to, but because he has a passion for service and for the program.
He’s part of almost all of our fundraisers that we’ve had. He’s been directly involved in them, and it’s all on his free time,” Kriete said. “He does it on his own and because he has a passion for the K9 program and a passion to make it successful.”
Kriete said he’s been impressed with Jimenez as he’s watched the corporal grow as an officer and dog handler.
“He’s definitely a community-first person and he’s the epitome of a public servant. That’s where his passion is and that’s why he’s good at what he does,” Kriete said.