Escambia County K9 Rigby named Florida’s Top Dog after bracket victory

Rigby brought home Florida’s Top Dog title for Escambia County after winning the Florida Sheriffs Association’s K9 March Madness Competition, a bracket-style showdown that pushed him through the Final Four and into the championship round. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said it was the first time one of its K9s had captured the state title.

The win carried extra weight because Rigby did not advance as a novelty act. Florida sheriffs used the public online tournament to spotlight working dogs serving a range of roles, including criminal apprehension, missing-person searches and comfort work for students. Escambia County entered Rigby, while Santa Rosa County put forward K9 Ozi and Okaloosa County entered Beau, turning the Northwest Florida field into part popularity contest and part referendum on which dogs best represent the job.

Rigby’s title came after a spring run that put his work in the spotlight. Sheriff Chip Simmons said Rigby and handler Deputy Larry Richardson recently helped pin down a vehicle containing a dangerous felon. The suspect fired a shot into the vehicle, then fled on foot, and Rigby and Richardson chased him down and captured him. That kind of street work is exactly why the title resonated far beyond a bracket graphic.

WEAR reported that Rigby is a dual-purpose K9, working both narcotics and patrol. A local follow-up described him as having “high drive” and said he was always ready to work, a trait that fits a dog expected to switch from detection to apprehension without losing focus. Escambia County also promoted Rigby during the contest and said he had reached the championship round before the final vote.

The sheriff’s office says its K9 Unit includes 16 handlers and dogs, and each handler must complete a 400-hour course with a K9 before assignment to patrol. Teams must also earn state certification and certification through the United States Police Canine Association. The unit is trained for narcotics detection, suspect apprehension, locating missing adults and children, and finding firearm-related items, which is why a bracket win for Rigby reads like more than a trophy. It is a public stamp of approval on the same instincts and teamwork that keep him in the fight on the street.