The Shawano Common Council recently approved the Shawano Police Department to seek out the funding for a new K-9.
Shawano P.D. accepted their first donation this week, and Police Chief Mark Kohl says once they secure funding for the purchase, it will be something the department will budget for yearly.
“We will be looking for funding to purchase a dog, so we’ll have two K-9 dogs and after initial funding, we will absorb that in our budget and that funding will cease, so we won’t ask for more funding to maintain the program,” said Chief Kohl.
By having two K-9’s, it will allow the Shawano Police Department to have the ability to have a K-9 equipped squad car and officer available seven days a week, 365 days a year, but Chief Kohl explains they will not be competing the Supporters of Shawano K-9 unit.
“Our objective is to establish more K-9 patrols in Shawano County, and for my benefit and for the benefit of the community of Shawano getting another K-9 within the Shawano city,” Kohl said. “We’re not competing with [the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department], if you wish to donate to S.O.S. K-9, please do. The real goal is the protection of our community.”
The cost of adding an addition K-9 can range from anywhere be tween 12 and 15,000 dollars. The K-9, however is not the only thing funds are needed for.
“The squad car is a very unique squad car that allows the heat or the cooling to maintain its comfort level for the K-9 inside,” explained Kohl. “It has automatic door releases, things like that for the safety of the officer and also for the safety of the K-9 to stay in the vehicle for prolonged periods of time.”
Donations are currently being accepted at the Shawano Police Department, and it’s Kohl’s hope that there will be a special savings account created and other fundraising efforts.
“One thing we’re going to be doing as well is we’re going to be purchasing some small, stuffed K-9 dogs,” said Kohl. “Other agencies have done that and it’s been very successful and when they come in we will have them at local businesses.”
Kohl anticipates the K-9 equipped officer will be available sometime in the next year.