The Kansas CW | Winfield Police Aim to Get K-9 Unit
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By Kara Sewell (WINFIELD, Kan.)
The Winfield Police Department is getting a new kind of foot traffic.
A number of people are simply walking in to just donate. It's taking Police Chief Danny Parker a little by surprise.
"Anytime you can get a tool that will help you do your job better, that creates some excitement within the department," says Danny Parker.
The tool is a Belgium Malinois, similar to a German Shepard. Chief Parker wants to bring the K-9 unit to Winfield.
Parker aims to combat the city's drug activity. He says usage in Winfield is rising and a drug dog will curb the growth.
Part of the reason winfield police say they see so much drug activity is because there are two busy highways that run right through town. In fact in the last two months Cowley County has served 10 search warrants involving drug related activity most of those right here in winfield.
The dog would be dually trained to track evidence and missing people.
Parker counts on community support. The department can't afford the dog without it.
The K-9 unit will be funded only by donations. Parker says less than a month into fund raising they're a quarter way to their goal.
Winfield hopes to get their K-9 unit after the first of the year. Initial cost and training of the dog is 15-thousand dollars.
Cowely County and Ark City are also working to get a police dog.
