Police and Fire Services Director Steven Voss announces at the Dec. 9 City Council meeting that a newly formed memorial fund will accept donations for the purchase, training and care of a new K-9 officer, to be named Stack, in memory of the late Mayor Kyle Stack.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON – A new K-9 officer memorial fund, in honor of the late Mayor Kyle Stack, has been formed, Public Safety Director Steven Voss announced at the Dec. 9 City Council meeting.
Voss said Stack’s love of dogs was well known, and he said she had spoken to him about planning for a new K-9 officer, since Delo, a male German Shepherd, is 18 months from retirement.
“I cleared it with the family, and with (city administrator Scott) Church and the mayor,” he said. “I want to start to proceed on getting another K-9 for the Trenton Police Department, a five to six-month process.”
Voss said he wants the dog to be in memory of Stack.
“I want to get the dog as Mayor Stack’s legacy,” he said. “In fact, I want to name the dog Stack.”
Voss said he has been approached by people seeking a suitable memorial contribution in honor of the late mayor. He said the department is not establishing a memorial to fund something it cannot afford, but to instead offer people an option to make a donation in the late mayor’s memory.
“Whether that’s $10, or $1,000, it would give these people, whoever would like, (a way) to contribute,” Voss said.
With the new recreational marijuana laws in effect in Michigan, Voss said dogs trained prior to the new legislation will still respond to the presence of marijuana, and the response cannot be untrained. He said new K-9 officers are not trained to hit on marijuana.
Voss said the new K-9 would be a tracking dog and would also be trained to detect opiates, cocaine and heroin.
“They are great for community relations,” Voss said. “It really opens the kids up to the police officer, through the dog.”
Those wishing to contribute to the Trenton Police Department K-9 Memorial Fund in memory of Stack may send a check made out to the Trenton Police Department, with “K-9 Stack” on the memo line. Mail checks to: Trenton Police Department, 2872 W. Jefferson, Trenton, MI, 48183, attention Director Steven Voss.