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| 04-28-03: Retiring police dog has helped keep drugs
away |
By TIMOTHY COX
The Daily Standard
ST. MARYS - Boz the dog is retiring from the St. Marys Police
Department.
The department's first K-9 unit has been on the force since 1994. The
dog has performed well and it's time for him to enjoy some relaxation, police Chief Kerry
Roode said. St. Marys City Council will consider a resolution at tonight's meeting to sell
Boz to Sgt. Russ Bailey, who has partnered with the animal the past nine years.
"He has really done us a good service," Roode said.
"There havebeen several incidents where he has saved officers from physical
confrontations."
Boz has proved invaluable in tracking criminal suspects and has even
helped locate a couple of lost children, Roode said. The dog also is capable of sniffing
for drugs and has helped keep local schools drug-free, he said.
Boz turned up various quantities of marijuana at Memorial High School
in the early years. Since then, though, he rarely finds more than prescription medication,
Roode said, a sign that Boz presence has been a deterrent to bringing drugs into school.
Police officials have yet to decide whether they will replace the K-9
unit. Roode said they must study the issue first. Also, the department is in the midst of
filling a human position, and that takes precedence, he said.
"Our attention is first on manpower and then on special
programs," he said.
Boz cost about $6,000 when he was first acquired, which included his
training and his dual training with Bailey. Bailey and the dog have developed a close bond
during the time, Roode said. If a new dog is purchased for the department, a new K-9
officer likely would be trained for the task to increase versatility of the department's
officers, he said.
Bailey was unavailable for comment this morning. |
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