The Polk County Police will be getting a new member joining the force in the coming months after the County Commission gave their go-ahead for a second K-9 officer to join the force.
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve JOC (pronounced Zyock) to become the second PCPD K-9 officer, which will be trained by current K-9 handler Sgt. Josh Smith before he is put into use with a second handler on the force.
Chief Kenny Dodd said that the county is getting the dog after a kennel in Cartersville had tried to pair it with owners as a guard dog, but the situation didn’t work out. The kennel saw potential in the dog, and Sgt. Smith did some minor work with JOC before determining he would be appropriate as a K-9 dog for the police department.
Dodd explained to Commissioners during their March 1 work session that JOC will be trained in off-hours by Sgt. Smith until he’s ready for the field, and then go to work. That will allow police to have a K-9 unit on-call around the clock without requiring Sgt. Smith to be called upon around the clock for duty with the K-9 that’s currently on the force, Joep (pronounced Jope.)
A new handler will be determined once JOC is ruled as ready for duty.
Additionally, Dodd said that a vehicle currently in use by the County Police will have to be outfitted with a in-car kennel. Police plan to use drug seizure money to cover any additional costs, like food and veterinary bills that arise.
Dodd said that the overall cost of having a second K-9 in the Polk County Police Department will be more than covered by the additional drug seizure money gained by having the pair working on two shifts.
