KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Kissimmee Police Department now has one of two K9s in all of Florida that are trained on cybercrimes.

What You Need To Know

  • Baxter is a Kissimmee Police K9 with the cybercrimes unit

  • The K9 is named after fallen KPD officer Matthew Baxter

  • Baxter part of the same squad as Matthew's wife Sadia

Baxter the K9 can sniff out electronic devices. He will be a tool in cases like sexual exploitation of children.

Baxter doesn’t just have a special skill, but he also a very special name. He’s named in memory of fallen officer Matthew Baxter, who was shot to death while on duty on August 18, 2017.

Coincidentally, Baxter the K9 is part of the same squad as Sadia Baxter, Matthew’s widow.

Sadia is a special agent for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s cyber task force.

Georgie Torres with the Kissimmee Police Department and K9 Baxter’s handler said, “He can be used on just about anything. From hidden cell phones, a lost hard-drive or something to that effect… Baxter will be able to be utilized for all of that.”

“So  (our daughters] don't know much about (Matthew) in the physical. They know the stories we share,” Sadia said. “But when the community and KPD does great things to honor our heroes… It really means a lot to my girls.”

A different K9 has been named Sam after Sergeant Sam Howard who also lost his life in the same shooting as Matthew. He’s an explosives detection K9.