Pam Tharp, Correspondent 10:03 a.m. ET Feb. 11, 2017<\/p>\n
The Union County Courthouse in Liberty.(Photo: Joshua Smith\/Palladium-Item file)Buy Photo <\/p>\n
LIBERTY, IND. Liberty police officers have won approval to raise money to buy a K-9 for their department to increase their fight against drugs. <\/p>\n
In October, Liberty resident Melinda Stevens said the town neededa dog to better deal with the problem officers now face. <\/p>\n
Stevens, who left Liberty more than a year ago and returned late last year, saidher neighborhood haddeteriorated in that time, with drugusers creating multiple problems there. <\/p>\n
Liberty Police Officer Todd Dickenson told the town council this week he's willing to be the K-9 officer and will raise the needed funds to obtain a dog and the required training for both of them. <\/p>\n
Liberty Town Clerk-treasurer Melissa Shepler said the dog will cost at least $15,000,and the cost goes up from there, depending on the amount and type of training requested. <\/p>\n
Before funds can be collected, the town council must pass an ordinance allowing such an action,Shepler said. That probably willoccur at the town councils first meeting in March, she said. <\/p>\n
Buying and training a K-9 officer is only part of the projects cost. Liberty officers drive sedans, which wont accommodate a dog, Shepler said. <\/p>\n
The town councilalready wasplanning to replace two older vehicles later this year, Sheplersaid. Police Chief Andrew Jordans cruiser is the oldest in the fleet, followed by Dickersons vehicle, so its likely Dickersons next car will be one that could accommodate the K-9, Shepler said. <\/p>\n
Jordan said having a trained police dog provides multiple uses, including looking for a missing child or a wandering adult. Having a dog to take along to school programs also isa plus, he said. In addition to tracking, the dogprovides protection for the officer, Jordan said. <\/p>\n
Its absolutely a positive step for us, hesaid. <\/p>\n
Union County Sheriff Dale Dishmond has been Union Countys K-9 officer for several decades, a job he said last fall that hes ready to pass to someone else. <\/p>\n
Having the dog under the control of the town police makes sense becausedrugshave become a problem in town, Dishmond said. <\/p>\n
St. Clair EMS ambulance owner Nathan St. Clair said the there were three cardiac arrestpatients in January, one of which was the result of an overdose and the second was a suspected overdose. Those numbers were down from previous months, he said. <\/p>\n
The Union County Health Department is applying for a state grant fora supply of naloxone, which can reverse a narcotic overdose. The Indiana State Department of Health received $519,000 last summer from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand overdose prevention outreach in Indiana counties. <\/p>\n
Union Countyhealth officials are asking for 200 naloxone kits, a years supply, with 50 to be delivered each quarter. <\/p>\n
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