Police ready for K-9, training

Eastlake police will be adding a new member to the department this year. The newest officer will be noticeably different from the others, as it will be furry, have a tail and walk on four legs.

The city has been without a K-9 since 2013, when former K-9 Ekko retired.

According to Police Chief Larry Reik, a K-9 is coming back to the city because of officer interest.

“Officer Mike Ward proposed it and then spearheaded the funding for it,” Reik said. “Becoming a K-9 (handler) is time extensive with a lot of training involved. If an officer doesn’t want to be a K-9 (handler) you can’t force them to do it.”

Funding also has been an issue, but the

department now has a willing officer and the funding needed to purchase the dog with help from the community.

According to Reik, the department has reached $12,000 and has about $5,000 more committed it has not yet received.

Eastlake’s Economic Community Development Committee, along with Eastlake Police Athletic League, or E-PAL, sponsored a community dog show Feb. 11 to help raise the needed funds.

“The dog show raised about $5,000, but what is amazing is the resident who donated $500 for himself and another $500 for his girlfriend,” Reik said. “One thousand dollars from one household, that is a lot of money.”

The cost of a K-9 runs between $14,000 to $16,000, which includes the initial training. The department has raised the money to purchase the dog, but still needs to additional funding to purchase a car outfitted with a cage for the dog, bite suits and supplies, and training.

The total cost for everything is estimated to be between $55,000 to $60,000.

“There will always be a need for additional funding,” said Reik, noting that he is happy with the funding they have received so far. “I’m pretty amazed with all the outreach from the community.”

Money has come in from fundraisers, business donations, donations from the city’s residents and a GoFundMe campaign at www.gofundme.com/k9for-eastlake-pd. Donations can be made at the GoFundMe site or dropped off at Eastlake Police Department, 35150 Lake Shore Blvd.

Ward, who has been working to raise the funds, said he just completed filling out five grant applications that were submitted to area Sam’s Clubs and Walmarts.

Reik said the department plans to find a used vehicle for the K-9 unit to use for now, and hopes to purchase a new one for them in a couple of years.

The chief also noted that funding for the K-9 is separate and doesn’t get mixed with the city budget.

Ward will begin his sixweek training with the dog in October.

About a month before the training begins, he will spend a couple of days at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, where he will meet five to six dogs and select the one that works best for him. He is undecided at this point between a German or a Dutch shepherd.

Once the training is complete in mid-November, Ward will bring the dog back to the Eastlake with him.

The dog will be a multipurpose K-9 capable of narcotics detections; and tracking people, which could be useful in such cases a locating an elderly person with dementia or a missing child, or catching criminals, Ward said.

In addition, the dog will be able to search for objects. For example, in a domestic dispute, a partner throws keys into the bushes, and the dog will be able to sniff them out. The K-9 also could be used for apprehending felony suspects, Ward said.

When asked about his interest in being a K-9 officer, Ward responded: “Ekko has been gone five years now, and it’s just something I wanted to do from the start.”