Black Mountain Police Honor Retiring K-9 Cayman After Eight Years of Service

At a Town Council meeting on March 11, the Black Mountain Police Department said goodbye to one of its most versatile officers: K-9 Cayman, who is retiring after eight years on the force.

Cayman joined the department in 2018 and spent his career working alongside handler Sergeant Logan Newhouse. The formal recognition at Town Hall gave officers the chance to honor a partner who moved between narcotics interdiction and missing-person searches, then showed up at elementary school gymnasiums and community events as the department's public face.

The Black Mountain Police Department credited Cayman with playing a vital role in the apprehension of numerous drug offenders throughout his tenure, significantly contributing to public safety and disrupting illegal narcotics activity in the town's jurisdiction and surrounding areas. He also helped in search operations involving citizens in need, a role that took him beyond the department's typical patrol work into situations where a trained nose and tracking ability could mean the difference between a safe recovery and a tragedy.

Beyond enforcement, police described Cayman as an ambassador for the department, one who represented Black Mountain officers at schools, community outreach events, and public demonstrations, strengthening the bond between law enforcement and the community. That dual identity, working dog and community presence, is part of what made the March 11 council ceremony meaningful for the officers who gathered to mark his retirement.

Sergeant Newhouse, Cayman's handler throughout his time on the force, will continue to care for him after he leaves the department. The arrangement is a common one in police K-9 programs, where the handler-dog bond built through years of daily work makes the handler's home the most natural place for a retired canine to land.

No replacement K-9 for the Black Mountain Police Department has been announced.