The Hanford Police Department is looking for help to purchase apprehension K-9's

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Hanford Police Department is interested in purchasing one or two apprehension K9's to add to their sole drug-searching dog.

The department has never really had much of a K9 program, according to Chief Parker Sever. When needed, they've had to rely on help from other local agencies like Lemoore Police and the Kings County Sheriff's Office. But they do have one narcotics dog named Dodger, a Springer Spaniel that sniffs out drugs wherever they may be.

But now the department says it's time for at least one apprehension dog, one that can go after Hanford's bad guys.

The total cost for another dog, including training and equipment, is around $40,000.

"I think it's going to help to keep our community safer, it's something that we'll be able to bring into the schools, to keep the schools safe, it helps to keep our officers safe, and it is a great public relations tool for the police department to have that dog out there. Everybody loves to see those dog demonstrations," Sever said.

Of the other large law enforcement agencies in the South Valley, Visalia Police currently have five K9's, Porterville Police has three, and the Tulare County Sheriff's Office has eleven.

TCSO recently hosted a K9 trials competition, showcasing what the dogs can do.

"It helps keep officers safe, it helps our community be safer," said TCSO Lt. Chris Galvez. "When a K9 car rolls into that community, it's even a community outreach because people love to see dogs and however they feel about law enforcement in general, they love seeing dogs."

Hanford Police have a non-profit set up but recently turned to GoFundMe to ask for community support of an apprehension K9. They've already received at least $10,000 in donations, but it will take thousands more to put a K9 on the street, and finally start building a Hanford Police K9 unit.

Click here for their GoFundMe page.