Two K9 officers are the latest addition to Richmond County Sheriff Gino Brantley’s crime-fighting team, complements of the Shield Club of Greater Augusta.
The club presented a check for $22,000 Monday for the care and upkeep of Arie and Takota, two working dogs who bring the sheriff’s team of K9s to 11, Brantley said.
“Our K9 program is an invaluable asset in our effort to protect and serve,” said Brantley, who took office this year. “These highly-trained K9s play a critical role, from locating missing individuals to detecting and removing dangerous drugs from our streets.”
Brantley said donations go a long way toward the dogs’ care, including food and veterinarian bills, and welcomed the public to give more.
He said the donation Monday allows his office to keep dogs working 24-7 and “enhance our ability to respond effectively, when every second counts.”
The Shield Club has been donating to local law enforcement causes since it was formed when Charles B. Webster was sheriff, said David Alalof, the club’s president.
“We try to be very proactive. We’ve bought kevlar vests, videos. We’ve bought K9s both for Richmond and Columbia counties and other communities as well,” Alalof said.
In recent years, the Shield Club has donated thousands to the families of injured officers, to purchase personal protective equipment, for the purchase of K9s and for other law enforcement programs, according to a handout. Members include active and retired law enforcement and area business owners.
An officer who handles Takota said riding with the Belgian Malinois-Shepherd mix is like riding with a member of the family.
“After you get to know him a little while, you’ve got your buddy with you and it’s never a dull moment for sure,” he said.
“All he focuses on is finding drugs and bad guys and catching bad guys. He’s extremely dedicated. He doesn’t care about human food. He doesn’t care about getting petted. He just wants to do his job.”
