K9’S AND K.O.P.S

HAMILTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S K9 PROGRAM

You tube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjnZUlEHqyw

WHY ARE K9 PROGRAMS IMPORTANT?

They serve a myriad of missions from drug enforcement, finding lost people, to article retrieval

They are ambassadors of the department for both protective and public relations events

They take down criminals and break down barriers between police and the public

K9 PURPOSES

Article Search

Explosives

Narcotics

Locating Missing people

Building Search

Apprehension

Patrol

AVERAGE COST OF STARTING A K9 PROGRAM

The dog and initial training can cost around $13,000 and that is just the beginning

There is ongoing training, handler trainings, outfitting a vehicle, vet bills, food, K9 bullet proof vests, K9 badges, tracking harnesses and training rewards that can tax a departments budget

WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM?

It can come from grants, although these are limited and few and far between

It can come from community businesses and organizations

It comes from non-profit organizations

K9’S OF POLICE SERVICES, INC.

The roots of the non-profit Started in 2014 Started out helping local departments in Cumberland, Dauphin, and York Counties Since 2019 we have been assisting agencies all across the United States A lot of our money comes from events we do in which we sell merchandise and

other K9 related items. Usually we do between 10-20 events per year We also get donations through donation letters we send out monthly through

VFW’s, American Legions, Rotaries, Private clubs (car clubs, motorcycle clubs) We get donations from individuals We have been doing online fundraising this year due to COVID which has greatly

impacted our ability to raise funds as it does not generate the type of revenue we need to fill equipment requests

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME EQUIPMENT ITEMS

Vehicle Inserts There are two types and depending on the department and the availability of

cruisers we can do a 60/40 split (60 for the K9 Officer, 40 for the person under arrest) Or a full vehicle insert, which gives the K9 use of the entire second seat The cost of this item is around $1900 per insert depending on which one the officer

choses

ACE K9 HOT AND POP SYSTEM

This device gets installed in the police cruiser and provides the latest in K9 safety

It send status information, updates, and warnings to your SMART phone to let you know when the vehicle is too hot for the dog

It also has a feature that the handler can pop the door when being away from the vehicle to release the dog if there is an emergency and the dog is in the vehicle

A full system is around $3,000

COOLING VESTS

These keep dogs cool while working (tracking on hot days) or in cars with less then exceptional air conditioning

Some SUV’s do not have air conditioning in the back and when the inserts are added the dog doesn’t get the air so this is an alternative.

They have removable “ice packs” that get frozen and then inserted in the vest prior to use

Cost is about $500.00

BULLETPROOF/STAB PROOF VESTS

These are made the same way they are for human police officer, just for a dog!

They are a crucial piece of equipment for a K9 handler and the safety of the K9

They cost about $1050.00 each

TRACKING VESTS

The price will vary depending on handler choice but they can range from $100-300 dollars each

These are for K9’s being sent out on a search and rescue mission

They are much lighter for a dog who may be out in the woods or fields as opposed to a bullet proof vest

TRAINING EXPENSES

This depends on the location and the school the K9 Officer attends

After the initial training period, the handler and K9 attending monthly training sessions to keep up on the K9’s training and handle any issues that may arise between handler and K9

Cost $1500-5000 per year

LEASHES, TUGS, TOYS

Most handlers prefer biothane or leather leashes to use for their dogs

Training rewards vary handler to handler, but it is the reward the K9 receives after doing what is being asked of them

These vary in cost depending on what items are needed, and they do get used so they wear out. Average cost per year is $150-200 per year per K9

MUZZLES

This is another important piece of equipment used during training exercises

Each K9 is different, some prefer the plastic muzzles, others hate them and have to have a leather muzzle

The price ranges from $150-300 depending on the type of muzzle they need

E-COLLARS

Some handlers use E-collars with their dogs, and others do not

They are a collar the dog wears that sends an impulse to the dog to gain a dogs attention

They range from $150-$300 per collar

BITE SUITS

Yet another important piece of having a K9 is making sure they have good bite work and hang on when they apprehend a subject until they are told to release

This takes practice and bite suit is imperative

At events K9 demo’s are usually a crowd favorite!

The cost of the bite suit is between $1500-2000 depending on the make and quality of the suit

CONCLUSION

K9’s are an invaluable asset to departments everywhere

They are dedicated to both their partner and their job

QUESTIONS

INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION

Contact us at K9sofpolice@gmail.com or 717-712-5954

Want more information on what we do check out our website at https://K9sofpolice.org or on Instagram at @k9sofpolice