Canine Law Enforcement

Law enforcement does a variety of tasks including patrolling the streets, investigating crimes, and tracking down drug traffickers among a whole host of other tasks. And that’s not only the human members of the police force but the four-legged variety as well. K9 units work to discover illicit drugs, explosives, chemicals, and other illegal substances, find and rescue missing and kidnapped individuals, and locate evidence from crime scenes. K9s also inspect vehicles, track fugitives, and can identify any persons or suspects that have been in contact with illegal substances and drugs.  

The thing is training a new K9 can actually be cost-prohibitive, and many K9 units are dramatically underfunded, resulting in them depending on grants and donations to maintain their units. Many apply for grants to maintain their very important work, and a K9 unit in Orange County, Indiana has applied for and received a grant in the amount of 4,240 from the Hoosier Uplands Public Safety Improvement Program, which is going to one specific furry friend and his handler. 

The grant funds will go towards K9 Finn and his handler Deputy Ryan Smith, towards training that will be ongoing through the entire year, as well as towards software needed for their K9 reports. The funds will also go towards various equipment upgrades that may be needed to better assist them in doing their job. 

Here’s a fun fact: The entire Orange County K9 unit has been funded by community donations of local business people and concerned citizens who have donated to the Orange County PD’s K9 fund so that the department could create and maintain an effective K9 program. 

When speaking of the individuals who made this K9 unit possible Orange County Sherrif Babcock had this to say: “Without the generosity of those individuals, we would not be fortunate enough to have such a valuable resource available to the citizens of Orange County. We will continue to need to raise funds in order to maintain our program now and in the future.”

As for K9 Finn, this hero dog has been deployed in various missions in Orange County an incredible 66 times since he was certified in May of 2019. 

Interested in helping to fund this incredible K9 unit in Orange County, Indiana? 

Send your donation to the address listed below: 

Orange County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Fund

205 E. Main Street, Suite 5

Paoli, IN 47454