Lorena Police now has a dog to help them fight crime and build community rapport.
Lorena Police purchased an 8 and half-year-old German Shepherd named Zeta from Bellmead Police for $1,000. It will also pay for the cost of making a K-9 unit vehicle a patrol car again.
According to Bellmead Police Chief Lydia Alvarado, the department is discontinuing its K-9 program because call volume and staffing levels prevent it from having a dedicated handler.
Zeta is expected to attend a special event, help with searches for people and traffic stops.
"Our drug arrests have proven successful with a K-9 unit before. One K-9, in particular, got over 700 pounds of marijuana and about 70 pounds of cocaine," Lorena Police Chief Tom Dickson said.
The police dog will undergo training, which will be paid with drug forfeiture drugs. She is expected to start working this summer.
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