Born January 1, 2004, K-9 Possum was first raised, trained and handled by Deborah Lillie, a reserve K-9 deputy with Assumption Parish Sheriff's Office. K-9 Possum began his career as a working dog at a D.A.R.E. demo when he was just 4 months old. Certified through LETS, NNDDA, and US K-9 Unlimited, his early working career focused on detection work for cadaver and narcotics. In addition to serving in numerous school and jail searches, Possum searched in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward after Katrina. He aided in several water recoveries, from a drowning victim located in 35 feet of water in Vidalia Parish in 2006, to a young man who drowned just outside Thibodaux, LA in 2007. He also aided in the recovery of the bodies of two little boys in an apartment fire in Reserve, LA in 2008, and assisted in the search of a landfill for a murder victim in Temple, TX in 2009.
Early in 2010, when Lillie's husband, Paul Finn joined LPSO, the unit was short one K-9 dog. Dty. Lillie turned her beloved Possum over to her husband knowing the dog would love the full-time work, and Paul and Possum passed their certifications in Patrol and Narcotics shortly after. In their short time on the road together, Paul and Possum quickly gained the trust and respect of the other officers as a reliable, highly skilled team. They tracked a burglary suspect from the crime scene to the subject's house, where he later confessed to the burglary. The team made numerous narcotics finds, the most notable of which led directly to the seizure of approximately 25 pounds of marijuana, 12 grams of meth, and numerous firearms. Deputy Finn stated that what he found most remarkable about K-9 Possum was how well-rounded his skills were. "Many dogs are strong in one area, but weak in others. Possum excelled in every aspect of his job. He was an amazing police dog. He always had my back. He wouldn't let anyone come up behind me while we were on a search, no matter who they were," said Finn.
