Salisbury set to add new K-9 officer

Barring anything unforeseen Salisbury city council will be signing off on a resolution next Monday that will bring a brand new police dog to the Salisbury Police Department.

The canine, Ofc. Sage, is currently in training in North Carolina and will soon be joined by her partner to finish off her training.

“This is going to be a huge addition. A very much needed addition, not only for our agency, but for our partner agencies in the county and for citizens here as well,” said police chief Barbara Duncan.

The purchase of Sage was made possible thanks to $5,000 from the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force (WINTF).

According to Duncan, at the end of each fiscal year WINTF gives $5,000 out of money gained during cash seizures to each department for them to use as they see  fit. Duncan said for her department, the biggest need was adding another canine officer.

Once Sage joins Salisbury Police this fall, she will be used to sniff out narcotics.

Because Salisbury Police is part of WINTF, Sage will see duty other places within the county as well whenever another department is in need.

Salisbury Mayor Jake Day said Monday while Sage is within city limits, she’ll make would-be criminals think twice before acting.

“When we can get a canine unit out into the streets its going to have an effect at reducing the amount of criminal activity that we see out in our communities,” Day said.

According to Duncan, Sage will also have an effect on the officers around her.

Currently Salisbury Police has three canines, including Hank who has his own Twitter page and Chucky who has just finished training.

“Animal therapy is well known, well documented, it’s used in a variety of situations and certainly police officers are not immune to it either, especially when you get a dog like Chucky or Hank who really just want to hang out and they want to play,” Duncan said.

With the addition of Sage, Salisbury Police will have a canine for each of its four units.