NEBRASKA CITY – From specially-equipped patrol vehicles to highly-trained dogs, Nebraska City’s K9 unit is funded entirely by donations and so it will be if the unit is to continue beyond the retirement of current K9 officer Mack.

Richardson: “The biggest, most important part of the entire K9 program here in Nebraska City is that we are 100 percent funded through donations.”

A transfer left the department without a K9 unit in 2019, so Sgt. Richardson stepped forward for training and certification. Donations in the range of $150,000 provided the Slovakian-born Mack at a U.S. kennel, a patrol car, vet care and even a hot-water wash station and blow dryer.

 

Richardson has only a couple of weeks to raise funds, but expects to raise $18,000 in donations for Mack’s replacement.

Richardson: “It’s a very valuable resource in this community, keeping our kids safe, businesses safe. Mack has had a tremendous impact in the school system, the elementary school, middle school, high school. He’s located illegal narcotics in all of those facilities.”

He said Mack has been a  deterrent and his work at schools has been a starting point for some kids to get  help.

High School Principal Brian Hoover has had dealings with Mack after a dress-up contest with students put him a bite suit at an end-of-the- year school assembly.

Richardson: “He did a great job. Mack redeployed on him several times. It was a lot of fun. He mentioned that his grasp on him was a little tougher than what he had anticipated it might be.”

Richardson said he and his family are devoted to the K9 program.

 

Richardson: “I didn’t think about it much prior to, but now that I’ve had Mack for several years and the differences that I’ve seen in the community and my ability to interact with the community in a much different way than I ever have in my 20-plus years of law enforcement, this has been a huge, eye-opening, incredible experience for me.”

Richardson, a paramedic who serves in the U.S. Army Reserve, also took training to be a dog medic.

Richardson: “The handlers are able to hopefully save the life of the K9. So, whether he’s bleeding, whether he ingests poison, shot, stabbed, whatever it may be, that the handlers are able to provide the immediate emergent care.”

Richardson said the K9 unit had over 80 deployments last year and many of those resulted in the discovery of felony narcotics.