By Crystal McGough
ARGO – The Argo City Council heard a presentation Monday, Aug. 23, from Argo police officer Cason Davis concerning the addition of a K-9 Unit to the Argo Police Department.
“We’re getting a K-9 donated to us from iK9, a training facility in Anniston, Alabama,” Davis said. “It would be free of cost to have the dog donated to us. Also, the vet bills would be donated to us free of cost, so it wouldn’t be anything on the city. The training for a handler will be $1,000, to have me trained as a K-9 handler.”
Davis said that the 3-year-old Dutch Shepherd being donated to the police department is named Argo. Mayor Betty Bradley clarified that the city of Argo did not name the K-9.
“We’re hoping to get him and get him out on the street and clean up the city with the drugs coming in like the new methamphetamine pills that are being produced and pushed out this way,” Davis said.
Davis told the mayor and council that the most expensive cost of adding a K-9 Unit would be a cage to go in the police vehicle, which will cost around $7,000.
“We need the city to absorb the cost of the cage – whatever the grant doesn’t cover, if the grant covers anything – and as far as the police department, we would cover any costs as far as food and his training,” Chief Glenn Wells said. “I think it’s a great idea. I think it’s something that we need, and we have a ton of drugs out here. I hate to tell you that, but there’s a lot and we do make a lot of drug arrests, along with Springville, Margaret and Odenville. So, I think it will help all the cities out to have this dog.”
Additionally, Wells said that Tommy Johnson at Argo Animal Clinic has offered to donate veterinarian services for K-9 Argo.
Mayor pro tem Dusty Stinson asked if K-9 Argo would remain with the city if Davis were to move to a different department. Davis said that the dog would remain with the city of Argo, as he will be considered city property.
The council passed a motion made by Stinson that the city approve the K-9 handler training, which will be paid for by the police department, and that the city absorb the cost of the cage for the vehicle, pending a grant application.
“If we don’t get the grant, then we’re still going to cover it,” Mayor Bradley said. “We’ll cover it with or without the grant.”
In other city business, the council approved the following:
- Flood Plain Resolution 2021-08-23
- Police Department Reserve Program Resolution 2021-08-23a
- Clair County E911 Agreement in the amount of $43,507.50
- Clair County Adult Inmate Housing Agreement
- Allocation of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds
The next meeting of the Argo City Council will be Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, at the Argo Municipal Complex. The council meeting will begin at 6 p.m., following a 5 p.m. work session.