City Reinstates K9 Program

The Olney Police Department’s K-9 program is officially back on track, with a new dog, a new handler, and a budget- friendly model that won praise from city officials at Monday night’s City Council meeting.

Police Chief Dan Birbeck introduced the revamped program, led by Officer Clayton Morris and his personal dog, Oakley—a promising narcotics detection dog donated to Officer Morris. The pair are expected to be certified and ready to hit the streets later this summer.

Under the previous K-9 arrangement, the City owned and bore the costs of the dog—most recently the late K-9 Officer Miranda Wright and her partner, Bond. This time, Officer Morris will retain ownership and cover all expenses related to Oakley’s food, veterinary care, and training.

“This dog has the potential to be one of the best narcotics dogs in the region,” Chief Birbeck told the Council, noting that Oakley, a yellow labrador retriever, is already being touted as a possible first-place winner at national competitions. “The high and short of it all is that this won’t cost the City any money.”

Under the agreement, the City will lease the dog from Officer Morris for a nominal fee—likely $1— and will provide oversight and a canine-equipped patrol unit. Training expenses will be covered through existing police funds or asset forfeiture funds, with no new cost to taxpayers, Chief Birbeck said.

Because Oakley is not city property, the city is not required to provide overtime pay for off-duty care. Chief Birbeck will manage any call-out overtime using existing contingency funds in the department’s budget. He also noted that Officer Morris’s swing shift will allow the department to strategically cover high-traffic periods and suspected narcotics routes.

“Having our own K-9 gives us an important tool we’ve been missing,” Chief Birbeck said. “We’ve had multiple cases in the last few months where we didn’t have a dog available and had to let potential drug cases walk.”

The Council unanimously approved the new K-9 agreement. The dog is expected to begin certification trials later this month, and formal training could begin as early as this summer in either Colorado or Mississippi.