It sounds like a doggone good idea, Mason County Sheriff Patrick Boggs said.
Boggs said he was approached by a representative of a company which cleans up crime scenes about a grant program the company is initiating to provide dogs for law enforcement agencies.
Aftermath K9 Grant will award a total of $25,000 in grants to law enforcement agencies and first responders across the nation.
The grant voting period began Oct. 19, 2021 and ends at 11:59 p.m. CST on Oct. 26, 2021, according to information from the company. Once the voting period begins, votes can be made by legal residents of the United States who are 6 years of age or older with a valid email address or social media account at the time of entry. Individuals may vote once every 24 hours on the designated voting website (www.aftermath.com/K9Grant) and once daily on Instagram (@AftermathK9Grant).
Boggs said plans are in the infancy for MCSO on what type of dog they would buy if they should win a grant and who would be the designated dog handler. Research is underway to determine the best fit for the department. However, Boggs said he leans toward a dual-purpose dog that could both track and detect drugs.
“Having a tracking K9 will aid us in our drug investigations, our searches for missing persons, and help keep our schools safer,” Boggs said.
Deputy Ryan Swolsky is in charge of the efforts, Boggs said.
Area residents can help by going to https://www.aftermath.com/2021-northcentral-k9-voting/ and voting for Mason County Sheriff daily through the voting period.
“Please help us make this a reality by clicking the following link and voting for us. You can vote every 24 hours. Our goal is to secure funding for this primarily through grants, at limited expense to taxpayers,” Boggs said.
