Putnam County Commissioners assist Roachdale PD with K9 costs

TeeKo's annual costs are close to $3,000 and that covers vet bills, insurance and food and supply costs. 

The Roachdale Police Department got a huge assist Monday morning from the Putnam County Commissioners when it comes to costs associated with the department's K9 program.

"We just started a K9 program and we are here to see if we can get funds to help with our annual cost in maintaining the K9 that we have," Roachdale Town Marshall Adrian Lapine told the Commissioners. 

Deputy Marshall Bryson Tash told the commissioners the department has a 1-year-old German Shepherd and that all of the initial costs and training of the dog was free to the department. Tash said the costs and training costs were covered by Redemption Ranch, which saves rescue and shelter dogs and turns them into K9 dogs at zero cost to police departments. Roachdale's K9 is a narcotics detection dog, as well as a search and rescue dog. 

"I know TeeKo is a huge asset to us up north due to combating the drugs we have in the area and any search and rescue incidents we may have come up, as well as mutual aid to surrounding agencies," Tash said. 

Tash noted TeeKo's annual costs are close to $3,000 and that covers vet bills, insurance and food and supply costs. 

"Our current goal is to get self sustained for the next two years. We are asking for $2,500, but, of course, anything that is provided will be greatly appreciated," Tash said. 

Lapine acknowledged he was before the commissioners requesting funds due to some unsettling news he has received from the Roachdale Town Council.

"The reason why we are coming here and reaching out to other venues for some funding is this program started before I came back on. I came back on January 1, and now our town council is talking some tax issues that are coming down the line this year and next that could greatly decrease our budget. I am trying to reach out to find donation sources and funding sources to help sustain this so we don't have this dog and our budget gets cut to where we have to get rid of the dog or cut our budget that much more," Lapine said. 

After a brief discussion, commissioners voted 3-0 in favor of giving the police department $2,500 and sending it on to the Putnam County Council for its April meeting for final approval.