Laurel approves purchasing a new K-9

LAUREL, Miss. (AP) – The Laurel City Council has approved a motion that would allow the police department to purchase a new K-9 dog.

WDAM-TV reports  the department currently has three dogs for four shifts. The new purchase would make at least one K-9 unit available for duty for all four shifts. An officer from within the department has been selected to be the new handler.

K-9 Officer John Stringer who is over the Laurel Police Department’s K-9 Division said the new handler will go through six weeks of basic training along with his new dog.

The new K-9 officer should have paws on the ground in about two weeks and the money for purchase was donated by the 100 club.