Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon PD seeking funds for drug dog

The Gurdon Police Department may soon have a drug dog if a grant application to the Lewis Cabe Foundation is approved.

The police department recently made application for a $12,500 grant to purchase the canine, supplies and fund the needed training.

According to the grant application, the dog will cost $9,500 and will come from the only certified trainer in the state. The dog would be trained to search for narcotics but could also be used for search and rescue, crowd control, officer safety, building searches, weapon searches and as a cadaver dog.

The German Shepherd would be about two and a half years old.

Gurdon Officer Chris Russell said the dog is a much needed addition to the Gurdon Police Department. Because there is not a drug dog available to any officer in Clark County, drugs are being allowed to remain on the streets when officers cannot visually see them on traffic stops.

You cant go inside everybodys car, Russell explained. But you can walk that dog around it, and if the dog hits, you can search it.

The dog could also be used in the local schools to search for and help deter drug use.

Since Russell has been an officer in Gurdon, he said he can recall three instances when Alzheimer patients have walked away from home and searches have been conducted. The proposed dog would be able to assist in the search.

We plan to help other agencies outside the city limits as well when we are available, Russell said.

The department is expecting to collect some donations from area businesses to help with the dogs expenses, Russell said. Were just now getting started.

It is unknown as to when the city will know the outcome of the grant application.

If the city is able to purchase the dog, Russell would be the handler.