A four-legged detective got a formal introduction at The Woodlands Township Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, July 23.

Detective K9 Andy, a member of Montgomery County Constable Ryan Gable's Criminal Investigation Division, appeared before the board as part of a quarterly law enforcement presentation. Andy is an Electronic Storage Detection dog, trained to sniff out hidden phones, hard drives, and other electronic devices that may hold evidence in child exploitation and sex trafficking investigations.

His specialty is rare.

Andy and his handler completed specialized training before joining the Precinct 3 unit earlier this year. According to Hello Woodlands, the K9 was brought to The Woodlands through a collaboration with Our Rescue, a national nonprofit that equips law enforcement agencies with tools to combat child exploitation, including supplying ESD-trained dogs.

The role fits squarely within Constable Gable's office priorities. Gable, who has served as Montgomery County Constable for Precinct 3 since 2012, created a dedicated division targeting online child predators and suspects trafficking child pornography. On his official office website, Gable describes the mission in direct terms: he is passionate about keeping children safe and wants residents to know his team is working toward that goal.

Andy's board appearance came during the same July 23 meeting that included a broader quarterly law enforcement report covering crime statistics and scam warnings across The Woodlands. As we reported July 29, crime trends in the township remained stable in that quarterly update.

The Woodlands Township shared video of Andy's appearance on its official X account on Wednesday, July 29, calling the K9 "a valued member" of the Criminal Investigation Division and signing off with: "Thanks, fur all that you do, Andy!"

Gable spent 20 years with the Harris County Constable's Office Precinct 4 before running for the Montgomery County seat. His agency operates as a full-service police department with a specialty in internet crimes against children, making Andy's electronic-detection skills a direct fit for the unit's active caseload.

Upcoming community events:

• Els for Autism gala at Woodlands Country Club, Saturday, Aug. 29