Owasso accepts $9,000 donation to add explosives-detection K-9; budget amended

The Owasso City Council on Monday accepted a $9,000 donation from the Friends of the Owasso Police Foundation to purchase an explosives- and firearms-detection K-9 and approved a matching $9,000 amendment to the city’s general fund budget.

The donation and budget amendment were presented by Chief Jason Woodruff, who told the council the foundation had stepped forward after staff identified a trained explosives-detection dog available at a reduced price. "It was offered to us at a greatly reduced price ... for $9,000," Woodruff said in his presentation.

City staff said the foundation—identified in staff remarks as the charitable group supporting the police department—has previously raised funds for ballistic gear, K-9s, firearms-range improvements and other equipment. Woodruff said the donation would add a fifth dog to the department’s K-9 unit and constitute the department’s first dog dedicated to explosives and firearms detection. He described operational uses that include clearing a public event before arrival of the public and detecting gunpowder on firearms during traffic incidents.

Council members had no members of the public signed to speak on the item. After brief council discussion and expressions of appreciation to the foundation, the council voted to accept the donation and approve the budget amendment. Staff recommended and the council approved increasing estimated general fund revenue by $9,000 and increasing the police services appropriation by $9,000.

The donation will fund the one-time purchase of the canine; training and operational costs beyond the purchase price were not specified in the staff presentation.