The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department needs more K-9 units and an effort is underway to add two new dog deputies to the team.
The name "Project Deputy Dog" has been given to the effort by the non-profit public Sheriff's Benevolent Posse.
This public benefit corporation, made up of non-law enforcement volunteers, buys gear and offers support that is not normally in the annual budget.
The current K-9 squad needs to be bolstered so the county has full coverage around the clock and a drug dog for custody operations. Further, employing these dog deputies would allow custody deputies to devote efforts elsewhere, to prisoner body and property searches.
The current goal of this drive, Project Deputy Dog, is $160,000.
This would finance the purchase of the dogs, basic and ongoing law enforcement training, specialized training for tracking, narcotics and bomb detection, veterinary care, specialized equipment and more.
Click here for more on the Sheriff's Benevolent Posse and information on how to contribute.