Wednesday, October 30th, 2019
Coldwater department gaining K-9
By William Kincaid
Photo by Dan Melograna/The Daily Standard
K-9 Franko will follow Kevin Wynk to his new position at the Coldwater Police Department. Wynk is leaving his position with the Mercer County Sheriff's Office.
CELINA - One of Mercer County Sheriff's Office's two K-9s will accompany deputy Kevin Wynk when he leaves on Nov. 7 to join the Coldwater Police Department.
Mercer County commissioners Greg Homan, Rick Muhlenkamp and Jerry Laffin on Tuesday morning approved sheriff Jeff Grey's request to transfer K-9 Franko to Coldwater Police Department at no cost.
He will take the place of Mojo, who left the Coldwater department when his handler, Kyle Dues, took a different job.
However, the sheriff's office still has one K-9, Ossi, and if need be will be able to request Franko's assistance from the department.
Grey recommended transfering the dog since it cannot be trained with another handler, Grey wrote to commissioners.
"The sheriff's office will have no useful purpose for Franko since his handler will not be here and we will still be able to call on Franko from Coldwater PD if our K-9 Ossi is not on duty, so it is not a total loss to us," Grey wrote.
Along with deputy training, a new dog costs roughly $11,000, according to Grey. They typically have a service life of seven to 10 years. Commissioners in May 2016 approved the purchase of Franko from Von Der Haus Gill German Shepherds in Wapakoneta.
Franko was selected for his amiability, among other factors, as the dog is often around children at community events when not battling crime.
Grey pegged Franko's value at $2,500. But taking into account that the Coldwater Police Department previously made Mojo available to the sheriff's office and that deputies may still call upon Franko in the future, Grey suggested commissioners transfer the dog at no cost to the department. Commissioners agreed.
Grey in the past called his office's K-9 program an asset for deputies during investigations and search warrants, Grey wrote to commissioners.
The dogs also sniff out drugs and conduct rescue missions.
Commissioners on Tuesday also,
• approved county engineer Jim Wiechart's request to accept the lowest quote submitted by VTF Excavation in the amount of $21,659.36 for bridge scour/erosion repair work on Dull Road.
• approved county Emergency Management Agency director Mike Robbins' request to purchase asbestos inspection services for a grant project. Allied Environmental Services submitted the lowest quote at $775.
• approved a service agreement with Smith Boughan Mechanical for inspection and preventive maintenance of the chiller and boiler system at the Mercer County jail.
