CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Police Department now has $30,000 in donations to purchase and train two dogs.
“I would like to express my appreciation to the Crestview community … we truly live and work in the best community on the planet,” Police Chief Tony Taylor said during the City Council's meeting on Monday. “(The community) stepped up in less than four months and contributed $30,000.”
Police Officer Sam Kimmons, who helped lead fundraising efforts, was surprised by the short time the department fundraised for the K-9s.
“I honestly thought it would take a lot longer,” he said.
Although Kimmons said the entire department volunteered time for fundraising, reaching the goal would have been impossible without residents' generosity.
“It was amazing how the community chipped in,” Kimmons said.
Several local businesses and organizations contributed to the cause.
Just one example was Kids Discovery, which raised an estimated $800 through a bake sale, a change drive and proceeds from a rummage sale.
Mayor David Cadle said he initially had concerns about whether the goal could be reached.
“But you know what I did, for a moment there, I forgot where I lived,” he said.
K-9 units' services include:
•Controlled substances detection during traffic stops and searches of buildings and vehicles
•Tracking fleeing suspects and finding lost children, vulnerable adults and dead bodies
•Scent discrimination to match a suspect with a weapon or object used in a crime
•Presentations to schools and community organizations on drug prevention education
The police department retired two canines, Rex and Edo, due to health concerns in 2013. Since then, officers have relied on K-9 unit services from nearby agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Okaloosa County Correctional Institution.
Trained dogs are not always available, Kimmons has said. “There’s been times we’ve needed to track a suspect and there’s no way to do it.”
Staff Writer Brian Hughes contributed to this report.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview residents raise $30K for K-9s in just 4 months