CROTHERSVILLE
The Crothersville Police Department hopes this is the year it’s able to obtain a helping paw in reducing the drug and crime problems.
During Tuesday night’s Crothersville Town Council meeting, Chief Matt Browning said he has an opportunity to obtain a police dog for free, and it would cost around $8,400 for him to complete four weeks of training.
An industry in town, Aisin Chemical Indiana LLC, donated $5,000 a couple of years ago for CPD to start a K-9 program.
“What they have donated would pay for the first payment of the training, so if we had to pay for the completion of the training, the other half of it, if they donate again, we can just take that money and replace it,” Browning said.
A representative from Aisin Drivetrain Inc. in Crothersville was at the meeting for another purpose, and he spoke with Browning afterwards about contacting that industry about a possible donation.
The dog would come from an organization in Texas that partners with police departments for free narcotics dogs.
Browning is hopeful the dog can be flown to Indiana.
“They won’t fly it if it’s over 80 degrees, so I’ve got some details to work out still, but I’ve got the paperwork at the police department to pull out to send to them to secure the dog so it will be ours,” he told the council. “If they won’t fly it, I will have to fly myself and the trainer to Texas, get the dog, rent a vehicle and drive back, so whatever cost that’s going to be.”
Councilman Jamy Greathouse made a motion to send the documentation to secure the donation of the dog and use whatever funds may be needed to transport it here and accept any other donations made. Jason Hillenburg seconded, and it unanimously passed.
For the past month, Browning has been in contact with Glenn Jackson, founder of Police Service Dog Consulting LLC in Clark County, to set up training. The goal is to complete that and have the dog in service sometime this year.
Browning said he came across an old photo of a Crothersville reserve police officer with a dog, but he’s unsure if it served as a K-9.
Starting a K-9 program has been on Browning’s list for a while.
“I think it’s going to benefit the school, factories, each officer that’s here because it’s going to be trained in narcotics and it’s going to be trained on searching for dementia patients, autistic people, articles. It’s not going to be a bite dog,” he said.
Browning also said he got into law enforcement with the hopes of being a K-9 officer.
“I just think it’s amazing,” he said. “It’s a challenge, which I’m always up for a challenge. The fact that you can just use a dog to search a car, it’s a huge tool. It’s going to be awesome. I’m ecstatic right now.”
The dog not only will benefit Crothersville but the surrounding area, as local law enforcement agencies often help each other.
“If I’m home, it’s going to be available,” Browning said. “It’s going to be great.”