K-9 program fetching funds from Glastonbury groups, residents

Fundraising for the town of Glastonbury’s new K-9 program has reached over $24,000.

Since an initial $10,000 donation from the Glastonbury Rotary Club, various groups and residents have helped the town raise $14,400 in additional funds. The town is expecting an additional grant of $4,000 for the program. The first year of the program is estimated to cost $21,000, according to Chief Marshall Porter.

“These funds will support the initial investment,” Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said. “The expectation is that ongoing contributions will fund annual costs.”

Porter said prior to “officially” asking for support, there were already local organizations and residents “stepping up to the plate.”

“Since going public, not a day goes by that I don’t receive a call or a donation,” he said. “The Glastonbury community is truly amazing and their support of our department and the K-9 program is a testament of how special and important our relationship is.”

Glastonbury hasn’t had a police dog in town since the early 1970s, when Fant and Duke, a pair of German shepherds, were paired with officers William Shortell and Gerald Sharp.

The program has been on hold for years due to staffing and funding issues. Glastonbury depends on surrounding departments, such as Manchester, East Hartford and state police, to provide dogs for tracking and sniffing out drugs. Porter said since 2000, there have been calls to 20 separate police agencies, an average of 17 per year. There were a total of 306 dog calls since 2000.

Porter said there are several officers interested in becoming handlers and the department is starting to conduct interviews. Porter said he hopes to choose a handler by the end of the month.

“We are hoping to have the dog by January. Training will begin by spring and we hope to have the dog in service by early summer,” he said. “We rely on the generosity of our donors to keep the program cost neutral to the town. We look forward to engaging with the community through various demonstrations and innovative fundraisers as we roll out the program.”

The town has established an account to support ongoing program needs. Donations may be sent to: Glastonbury Police Department, 2108 Main St., Glastonbury, CT 06033, with checks made payable to “Town of Glastonbury.” “K-9 Program” should be noted in the check memo. Donors will receive an acknowledgement letter for tax deduction purposes.

The contributions will support the ongoing expenses associated with the program, including dog and officer training, safety equipment, veterinary care, food, toys and protective clothing.

The town is working through Renbar Kennels LLC, which Porter said has extensive experience setting up K-9 teams. A dog to fit the community’s needs will be selected and will train with an officer for nine weeks. An existing vehicle will be upgraded to a K-9 unit.