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The Keokuk Police Department met with Caregivers at Nursing Facilities last year. During those meetings the potential for someone walking away from a facility and being lost led to discussions on how the department could respond. According to Police Chief Dave Hinton, there was a later discussion about the possibility of a youth unable to communicate being lost came up as well. The obvious answer is a police dog to track the individual, which would be time sensitive and waiting for another department to respond could be valuable time lost in returning someone safely.
Hinton says also, recent rulings from courts make it clear that suspects cannot be detained for extended periods of time, thus waiting for a K-9 to sniff out drugs could mean letting a suspect go and missing an opportunity to stop drugs from hitting the street. Once again, the obvious answer for the city of a K-9 unit in Keokuk. The issue, is the cost. Hinton says it takes about $28,000 for the dog, training and equipment needed.
The Police Department is currently working with the public and local organizations to get a K-9 unit. A local group KASPIR recently became a non-profit and has agreed to take in funds so donations can be made tax free. The group “Man-Country” is holding a Trivia Night this Saturday at L-Treyns Bar, with all proceeds going toward the project. KASPIR is also planning a “Splash Bash” at the pool the day after the pool closes for the season, half of the proceeds of that event will go toward the K-9 project.
Anyone interested in helping out can find more information on the Keokuk Police Department’s Facebook page.
