Mansfield Police Apply For Police Dog Grants

MANSFIELD, MA — The police department is trying to purchase and train a police dog by exploring two grants and an additional fundraising source.

Police Chief Ronald Sellon told the Mansfield select board about his plan and described the funding sources at last Wednesday's select board meeting. Getting a police dog would cost the department $50,000, which doesn't just include the price of the dog, but also the cost to train it, as well as the officer assigned to it.

"It's an extensive amount of training," Sellon said. "That one officer is with the dog 100 percent of the time."

A police dog would be trained in explosive ordinance device (EOD) and gun detection, as well as tracking people, Sellon told Patch. Sellon said buying a police dog would help out both the town and state police when they deploy police dogs at Xfinity Center concerts.

"Every show we use EOD dogs. It can be hard to try to find someone if both Foxborough (at Gillette Stadium) and us have a show," Sellon said. "It would benefit us regionally as well."

The Mansfield Police Department also want the police dog, so they can track people during emergencies. Sellon cited the recent freezing temperatures as an example of when it would be crucial to find someone missing or in danger as soon as possible.

"When you're dealing with overnight temperatures below zero, it's critical to get those resources out there," Sellon said.

To pay for the dog and the training, Sellon is applying for two grants, including a Stanton Foundation Grant, which is from a Massachusetts-based foundation that helps offset the cost of K-9 units. The second grant comes from a Homeland Security application, while the third fundraising source is coming from a collaboration with Mollie's Annual Massachusetts Vest-A-Dog, a fundraising event scheduled for March 9 at the Bridgewater Vets Club. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at 85 Cottage Street in Bridgewater.

Image via Shutterstock