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The West St. Paul Police K9 Foundation is a new nonprofit supporting the police department’s K9s. The nonprofit is taking over the annual K9 Walk at Thompson Park, which happens next month.
“K9s are an amazing tool but they are also a huge investment,” said West St. Paul K9 Officer Nicole Murphy.
K9 Walk
Organized last year for the first time, the K9 Walk is a chance to meet West St. Paul’s K9s and handlers, connect with other dog owners, and more.
- What: A two-mile walk, brunch, bounce house, lawn games, snow cones, raffles, and more. There’s also an opportunity to get your photo taken with West St. Paul’s K9s, Bear and Cecil. You don’t need a dog to take part.
- When: Sunday, September 22, with registration opening at 8:30 a.m. and the walk beginning at 9:30 a.m.
- Where: Thompson County Park.
- Cost: Register online—$45 for individuals, $55 for families. Register before September 2 to ensure you get a T-shirt.
“It is an amazing way to not only support the K9 Unit but also just get outside and have fun,” said Murphy. “The bounce house and snow cones are tied for the best part!”
New Nonprofit
The West St. Paul Police K9 Foundation was founded earlier this year. Having a nonprofit dedicated to the K9s makes it easier to donate and ensure all donations go directly to the K9s.
Why: “If you have ever had a pet before you know how expensive an animal can be, and the unexpected costs that can happen,” said Murphy. “Right now the City of West St. Paul pays a very small amount from the police department budget, but it has solely relied on donations. The foundation starting is to not only make donating easier but to also take the burden off of the police department.”
What costs: “You have an initial large investment with the purchasing of the dog itself, plus the dog and handler going to school,” said Murphy. “You then have things after that which include equipment, training, food, veterinary costs, certification and more.”
Who’s involved: Current board members include President Neil Garlock, Vice President Steve Iverson and Treasurer/Secretary Brian Woessner. Murphy also helps with fundraising and social media.
Value of K9s for Police Work
We asked Murhpy why K9s are so important and she gave us two answers. She started with the buzzwords of typical police work. They can find missing persons, suspects, narcotics, guns, and bombs, plus they are a non-lethal use of force.
“Their presence alone can end a situation,” Murphy said. “They are also an amazing tool that helps save police officers’ lives by being the first ones in at dangerous situations.”
But more than the typical police work, K9s encourage community connection.
“They are an amazing tool to bring together police and the community,” Murphy said. “So many people love dogs! K9 handlers will get stopped about their dog daily, to be asked questions, for people to pet the dogs, and to tell them all about their pets.”
K9s also attend community events, in West St. Paul and beyond.
“You might not be able to pet every K9—they are trained to bite,” Murphy said. “But I guarantee you can ask any K9 handler for a K9 trading card and they will have one.”
(Photo by Sam Amundson from the 2023 K9 Walk.)
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