Gift of $10 inches K-9 unit closer to reality

By KRISTYN HAL BIG ZIEHM

Ozaukee Press staff

A $10 donation for the Grafton canine unit accepted by the village Public Safety Committee last month gave Police Chief Jeff Caponera the opportunity to update members on a fundraising effort he said is rapidly heading to its goal.

Caponera said the Grafton K9 Foundation has raised about $35,000 toward its goal of $100,000 for the unit.

The actual cost of getting the canine unit started is about $70,000, he said.

“Then I can pull the trigger on it,” Caponera said, adding he hopes to reach that point by the end of the year.

The police department will likely get a German shepherd, he said, adding it will be trained for drug detection, tracking and apprehension.

The police chief said last year that there is a need for a canine unit, noting the I-43 corridor has been designated as a high-intensity drug trafficking area.

And while the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Mequon and Cedarburg police departments all have canine officers, the dogs aren’t always available when needed in Grafton.

Canine officers are also a good public relations tool for departments, he said at the time.

The cost of the program goes beyond the dog, he added. It includes training both for the dog and its handler, equipment and a vehicle.

The department has several officers interested in serving as the dog’s trainer, he said.

Caponera told the committee on June 14 that the Grafton K9 Foundation, which is spearheading the fundraising effort, recently earned its nonprofit designation.

Funds raised by the foundation will be turned over to the department for the unit as a grant, he said.

The foundation has a QR code on its Facebook page that leads to a donation page, he added, and it is considering hosting a cornhole tournament to raise money for the unit as well.