The Fairview Township Police Department is looking to bring a Police K9 program back to the Department for the first time in over 20 years!  Those that have been around awhile may remember K-9 Officer Chiko, a German Shepherd who served Fairview Township with distinction from August of 1994 until April of 2002 with his handler, Officer Robert Swank.

The return of our Police K9 program will see us bringing onboard a “floppy-eared” dog who will specialize in person tracking and narcotics detection.  He will not be cross-trained as a bite-dog.  It is our intention that the first member of our new unit fit within our community policing identity and be able to participate in the many community events that we are involved with.

Fairview Township is unique in that it is located where I-83 and I-76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike) meet. We have 13 hotels in our Township and see a very large volume of drug-related crime.  We envision this program making us more effective at battling the scourge of drugs in our community and reducing the number of drug overdoses that we see.

Not to be overlooked will be the K-9’s training related to person tracking.  This will enable us to respond more quickly and effectively to calls where children, the elderly, those with developmental disabilities, or those suffering from critical mental health conditions that may have wandered from their home and become lost or missing.  It will also enable us to have the resources to track and apprehend subjects who are wanted for crimes and flee from police.  In circumstances where a K9 trained to track is needed, having quick access to these abilities can make the difference between a successful or unfortunate conclusion.

We are looking to re-establish this program while using no taxpayer funds to do so.  We have already been honored to have received notable support from our business community and are well on our way to making this program a reality.  Now is the chance to support this worthy endeavor.  If you are interested in supporting the Fairview Township Police K9 program, please click on this link to make a donation.  You may also send donations to the Fairview Township Police Department at 599 Lewisberry Road, New Cumberland, PA 17070.  Please indicate “Police K9” on any donation.

Thank you for your support! We can’t wait to introduce you to the newest member of our Department.