Retired Calhoun County Deputy Honored By Area K-9 During Final Goodbye

The retired Calhoun County Deputy credited with founding the county's K-9 teams program was honored by area K-9 teams at his final goodbye.

Retired Calhoun County Deputy Wes Cuatt was laid to rest on Saturday, February 1. Calhoun County Sheriff's Office K-9 team, Battle Creek Police Department K-9, Kalamazoo County K-9, and Albion Department of Public Safety K-9 provided a surprise K-9 walk by at the start of the service to honor one of Calhoun County's founding K-9 teams.

Wes became a Deputy Sheriff with the Calhoun County Sheriff Department in 1979.  He initially worked in the jail and then as a Road Deputy.  In 1990 Wes spearheaded the re-creation of a K-9 division for the Calhoun County Sheriff Department.  He promoted the idea to the sheriff and the community, successfully raising the necessary funds through community donations of money, goods, and resources.  Wes then trained to be the department’s K-9 officer.  He was partnered with K-9 Drak on November 24, 1993, according to an obituary for Ret. Deputy Cuatt.

Wes became a Certified Cyber Crime Investigator by completing a course in Cyber Crime and Computer Forensics at Eastern Michigan University in 2000. He served as the Cyber Crimes Officer until he retired in 2010 from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.

The family suggests those wishing to honor Wes's memory can do so with a memorial contribution to the Calhoun County Sheriff K-9 Program. Make checks payable and mail it to Craig Kempf, P.O. Box 519, Marshall, MI 49068 or the Seiwa Dojo, Aikido Institute of Michigan, 551 Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49014.