The City of Fort Mitchell has announced the addition of a new K9 Officer to its police force.
“Gunny” is a 14-month-old German Shepherd from Hungary who was donated by Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders
Gunny joins the Fort Mitchell Police Department following the retirement of the city’s previous K9 Officer, Tony, who served the community with distinction from April 2017 until April of this year.
“We added a K9 officer to our Police Department in 2017 through the generosity of people throughout the community. After Tony’s retirement, Rob Sanders contacted us and said his office would graciously step up to donate our next K9 Officer,” said Mayor Jude Hehman. “His contribution of Gunny to the City of Fort Mitchell is a testament to his commitment to the well-being of the community. We are very appreciative of his generosity.”
Sanders has long been an advocate for K9 units in Kenton County and throughout the Commonwealth, working on legislation to make it a felony to assault a police K9, which would eventually become known as “Ernie’s Law.”
“Police K9’s are an essential tool for building community safety,” said Sanders. “The Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office is happy to help Fort Mitchell Police continue their proud tradition of a K9 team for patrol, community policing, and public relations. We wish Shane and Gunny the best of luck as they begin their journey as a crime fighting team.”
Gunny was fully trained by Shallow Creek Kennels in Pennsylvania and has been assigned to Specialist Shane Best, who was also the handler of Fort Mitchell’s previous K9 officer. Over the next several months, Specialist Best will work with Gunny so he is accustomed to Best’s commands. Gunny must also be certified by the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) before his official service begins.