SIMI VALLEY : Donations Help Pay for 3rd Canine Unit

Thousands of dollars in donations have enabled the Simi Valley Police Department to buy its third canine unit, with a buyer already scouring Germany for the best dogs available, police officials said.

Capt. Jerome Boyce said more than $15,000 in contributions from local service clubs and merchants helped the City Council absorb the $39,000 cost of a new dog and specially equipped vehicle.

At Monday’s council meeting, officials of the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley made a $2,000 gift to the new canine unit. Council members then approved spending about $23,000 to fund the rest of the cost.

“We have a real good program,” Boyce said. “The dogs are all cross-trained in narcotics and we do a lot of public appearances. The people just love them.”

Boyce said the Police Department has two canine units that are on call 24 hours a day, but they patrol just six nights a week. The new dog and vehicle, he said, will allow the department to patrol seven nights a week, including two units on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Last year, the canine units responded to more than 300 complaints about loud parties. The dogs are most effective in breaking up those gatherings, he said.

A buyer is overseas this week, looking for animals that could be used as law-enforcement dogs. A new patrol vehicle is on order and should arrive by March, Boyce said.