Paw Enforcement: Bequest to support Parkersburg Police K-9s
Patrolman 1st Class J.W. Thrasher and K-9 Hok (Photo Provided)
Sgt. C.A. Miller and K-9 Hawk (Photo Provided)
Patrolman 1st Class J.N. Dennison and K-9 Cedrick (Photo Provided)
Detective D.W. Miller and K-9 Nyland, who specializes in searching for electronic storage devices. (Photo Provided)
Patrolman 1st Class J.W. Thrasher and K-9 Hok (Photo Provided)
Sgt. C.A. Miller and K-9 Hawk (Photo Provided)
Patrolman 1st Class J.N. Dennison and K-9 Cedrick (Photo Provided)
Detective D.W. Miller and K-9 Nyland, who specializes in searching for electronic storage devices. (Photo Provided)
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PARKERSBURG -- A resident's bequest is expected to help fund the Parkersburg Police Department's K-9 program for the next decade.
During the first municipal budget hearing last week, it was noted that the supplies line item for the department's K-9 unit had no allocation proposed for fiscal year 2023-24, which begins July 1.
Finance Director Eric Jiles said a new fund had been established with $91,493.06 left to the city by Parkersburg resident Evelyn G. Ramsey, who passed away at the age of 91 in December 2021.
The money will go toward food, veterinary bills and equipment for the department's K-9s, Police Chief Matthew Board said in a separate interview. The department has three dogs trained in searching for narcotics and tracking and apprehending individuals, as well as one trained to search for electronic data devices, like those that might be used to store child pornography.
"The dogs are an invaluable resource, and it's also an expensive resource," Board said.
The bequest should take care of the K-9 unit supplies, budgeted for $6,000 this year, "for at least 10 years," Jiles said during the budget hearing.
"That's a great gift," Councilman J.R. Carpenter said.
Board said that even beyond the financial impact, the gift is meaningful because it shows a city resident was thinking of the Police Department and the community's safety as they considered their final wishes.
"It's really tremendous that the community supports us to where we can keep them safe," he said.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.