Published: June 21, 2008 11:19 am         

LG adds new K-9 officer to PD

Locust Grove Police Department is adding a new K-9 officer and one more vehicle to its fleet. At Monday’s special meeting of the Town of Locust Grove, the board addressed several items of Locust Grove police department business.

Police Chief Nathan Raith addressed the board about the new K-9 officer that has been donated by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Gene Hies. The K-9 officer, Brit, will be partnered with Locust Grove officer Nate Cooper. Raith asked the board for approval to send Cooper and Brit to Canine Unlimited for training and certification.

Brit, is certified with his former handler, but will need to be certified with Cooper. Raith said Brit has confiscated over $7 million in forfeitures and is estimated to be worth $15,000. The board approved sending the duo to training for two weeks beginning July 14 in Tulsa at a cost not to exceed $1,500. The money will come from the police department’s equipment and assets fund. Raith pointed out that they have had several donations that will cover the cost of training.

The police department has been working to establish the K-9 program with the help of citizens and businesses. Officer Cooper sent out a letter asking for donations to the program and pointed out the positive impact a K-9 officer can have on the community.

Brit, a Dutch Shepard, and Cooper will be used at the school for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. School Resource officer Karen Hershberger said the dog will be used to sweep the school twice a month and will be used for educating the students.

“He’s ready. He does so much more than I could ever imagine,” Cooper said.

The officers will also be used on the street for detecting drugs in traffic stops, helping find missing persons, tracking fleeing suspects and building searches.

“Support of this program is an investment in our community,” said Cooper in his letter to the community. “Having a K-9 team on-call will be an extra measure of confidence for our citizens and law enforcement officials as well.”

Cooper estimates the program will need $8,000 to fund all of the training and equipment. One of the pieces of equipment the board approved was turning a 2000 Crown Victoria into K-9 unit. The vehicle was donated to Locust Grove from Tulsa County. The car was later surplused by the Town of Locust Grove and given to Salina in a trade. Salina later returned the vehicle to Locust Grove.

Raith said the vehicle is mechanically sound but needs paint and some repair. The board approved getting the vehicle fixed at Vaughn’s Auto not to exceed $1,600 from the police department equipment and assets fund.

The K-9 officer will also need a kennel to go in the back seat of the vehicle. The board approved purchasing a used car kennel from the Town of Salina for $1,000.

In other police business, the board approved the purchase of a 2009 Dodge Charger to replace an older vehicle that burned. The old vehicle was moved to a local car wash during a storm to keep it safe from hail. Later Raith said he received a call that the car was on fire. Arson was suspected.

The town received $9,322 for the insurance claim and Raith asked the board to use that money toward the new Charger. Raith asked for $9,000 of the insurance money along with $15,000 from the 1/3 cent sales tax that was given to the police department, fire department and civil defense. The fund has over $40,000 in it as of Monday. Raith said he would order the vehicle now but it would not come in until November or December allowing more time for the fund to build.

Fire Chief Rob Foreman said he was all for the LGPD getting its fleet up and joked, “let him get his fleet up then he won’t be bothering us.”

The motion passed four to one. The no vote came from Trustee Terry Starling.

With several new vehicles and the recent arson of an older vehicle, Raith asked the board to approve the purchase of two car ports with side panels. The car ports are 18 feet by 21 feet at a cost of $695 each. The two car ports would house four vehicles. The two side panels are 21 feet each and will cost $90 each. Raith said they would put the car ports side by side next to the fire department. The board approved the purchase not to exceed $1,600 from Eagle Car Ports, Inc. The cost includes installation.

The board approved reimbursing Clayton Hobbs $59.01 for expenses he incurred on his way home from Council of Law Enforcement Education and Training certification.

The town will also pay for conference dues of $475 to the Oklahoma DARE Association. The money will come from the Drug fund.

     

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