Butler police need donations for K-9 unit
Chooch works 12-hour shifts at the Butler Bureau of Police just like the rest of his co-workers, but his salary comes in the form of edible treats and the occasional belly rub.
Chooch is a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois who has been part of the K-9 department at the bureau since early 2020. His handler, Lt. Brian Grooms, said the bureau has had a K-9 program since 2012, and it has operated on donations and grant funding since its establishment.
While Grooms said there are many benefits to having a K-9 unit at a police department, he also said the funding of it can be tricky to maintain, especially when not using taxpayer money.
“We’ve been running on donated money ever since, and since then we’ve had some large, unexpected expenses,” Grooms said. “I’d like to get enough to keep the program going at least 20 more years. (The dogs) don’t get used every day, but when you need them, it’s good to have them.”
The Butler police have two K-9 officers, Chooch and Rico, who both started in 2020. The dogs replaced the original K-9, Gunner, who died in 2018, and Blade, who also retired in 2018.
According to Chief Robert O’Neill, the K-9 program costs about $15,000 to $20,000 a year, and recently it has needed donations.
O’Neill also said the department gets “many large donations from businesses,” and a lot from individuals as well, and the department applies for funding grants each year. All of the money collected for the K-9 unit is kept in a separate bank account specifically for the department.
Among the biggest expenses are the two special vehicles the department purchased when the K-9 program started and the food for the two dogs. Grooms said the donations also fund a stipend for himself and the other K-9 handler, Andrew Niederlander, which mostly goes toward food and special veterinarian care for the dogs.
“I only take him to the vet for routine checkups and shots; those are usually covered,” he said. “If it gets too advanced and my vet couldn’t handle it, I would probably have to pay someone else to help him.”
The dogs stay with their handlers throughout the entirety of their shifts, and they even live with them at their homes. Grooms said it was difficult to handle the death of Gunner because of the bond the two had formed over the years.
Both Chooch and Rico went through four months of initial training after being purchased by the department, and they continue to attend “maintenance” training every two weeks. Chooch and Rico are dual-purpose patrol dogs, because they can sniff out drugs and are also trained in apprehension, Grooms said.
“He is certified in tracking; he can sniff out meth, heroin and cocaine,” Grooms said. “They are also trained in bite work and go after someone when you give them target identification.”
O’Neill said the dogs go anywhere in the county that they are requested, because only a few police departments in Butler County have their own K-9 units. He also said their presence is good for public events.
“We’ve had great success with the K-9,” O’Neill said. “They have helped in search and seizure; they do well with the public when they go to community days. We haven’t had any problems with the K-9.”
Grooms shared a story involving Chooch, in which he took the dog to a scene in Chicora where he was able to track down a person of interest in a crime. Chooch’s tracking ability is actually somewhat of a second line of defense against crime, Grooms said, because people who see a police dog usually won’t attempt a crime in their presence.
“Their appearance and presence is a deterrent for people to do stupid stuff,” he said
O’Neill said some of the large donors over the years have included the American Legion and private businesses like Berkshire Hathaway. Grooms said donations come from individuals in waves, and people likely give when they remember the department has a K-9 unit.
Butler business owner Denny Offstein said he frequently gives money to the K-9 unit and donated thousands of dollars to the bureau when the K-9 unit started. Offstein said he received a call earlier this week alerting him to the need for donations to the unit, and wrote to other businesses about the situation.
Gary Straub, Butler branch manager for Berkshire Hathaway, wrote a letter to the bureau stressing the importance of the K-9 unit. The business plans to donate $250 to the K-9 unit at Thursday’s city council meeting.
“In our opinion, the K-9 is a critical member of law enforcement,” Straub said. “Not only are they instrumental in drug search and detection, critical to keeping drugs off our streets, but their presence on the job saves lives.”
Glenn Miller, of the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, made a $500 donation to the K-9 unit Aug. 22, and also included a letter to the department and city council.
“Butler is a better and safer place because of the K-9 program and officer Grooms,” he said.
O’Neill said people who want to donate money to the K-9 program should contact the police at 724-287-7743, and make specific mention of the K-9 program.
Grooms said he wants to keep the K-9 program going not only because it is a positive department for the city, but also because of the bond he has with his canine partner.
“I like having a dog at home,” he said. “He’s like my best friend; you just have to make sure he knows who’s boss.”
