Board approves $6,000 donation toward Winchester Police Department K9; city to cover remaining cost

The Clark County Board of Education voted unanimously to donate $6,000 to the Winchester Police Department to help purchase a new K9 from Ultimate K9, a provider the department identified for training and certification.

Captain Catherine Charles of the Winchester Police Department described the need to replace the department’s prior K9, said the department secured a grant for $10,700 toward the dog, and said the total cost to purchase and certify a replacement is approximately $22,000. She told the board the dog will be insured, that multiple handlers will be certified and available (including the primary handler and two dispatchers), and that training and certification typically take about eight months.

“The total cost of the dog is right at $22,000 and this dog comes with insurance,” Captain Charles said. She described the program’s training steps and that the selected dog breed is an Australian Labradoodle (a hypoallergenic breed) to reduce allergy exposure in schools; she said the new dog will be substantially smaller than the prior K9 and that Ultimate K9’s training includes frequent evaluations.

City officials have agreed to pay the remaining balance beyond the district donation and the grant; Captain Charles said the department will provide periodic updates to the board during the eight‑month process.

Motion to approve the donation was made by Mister Kaiser and carried 5–0. The board asked questions about breed, training timeframe, handlers and how the dog will be used in schools and the community; Captain Charles replied that the dog will be used in school visits, threat‑response support and community engagement and that the department will bring updates to future meetings.