The Village of New Concord is one step closer to bringing a K-9 officer to its police force.  

The funds have been raised, the contract has been signed and a dog has been chosen. 

All that’s left is training before the first four-legged officer joins the department. 

“I’m just excited and ready to get started,” said Chief Mindy Peck. 

Last week, Village Council voted to approve the selection of a training service for the dog. 

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Merry K9 Services, LLC in Norwich was awarded the contract. 

In October, Officer Jeff Traub reports to Merry K9 Services in Norwich to meet his new partner and begin a three-week training course. 

Currently, the dog’s name is Shockey, but Peck said he will eventually be renamed.

Prior to training with its handler locally, the dog received 200 hours of training in narcotics detection. 

The K-9 will be able to detect methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl by the time he hits the streets. 

“It’s something we’ve needed for a while,” said Peck. “It’s been needed for years.”

Peck has previously explained that New Concord is not immune to the area’s drug problems due the village’s location along several highly traveled routes.

Most drug-related charges in New Concord stem from traffic stops — along U.S. 40, which runs between Cambridge and Zanesville, and along SR 83, which leads to Coshocton to the north.

“Every case we’ve had that’s been like methamphetamine or heroin was found, they are not New Concord residents,” said Peck. “[They] come from surrounding towns.”

One drug that the K-9 will not be imprinted to detect is marijuana. 

The decision was made in anticipation of the drug’s potential legalization, as well as a way to save costs. 

Peck explained that if the K-9 is trained to recognize the smell of marijuana, he can’t be un-trained if it becomes legal. 

“Once they’re trained and imprinted, you can’t take it back,” said Peck.

Instead, that job will be left to the humans. 

“With marijuana, we don’t need a dog,” said Peck. “We have the odor of marijuana that gives us probable cause to search the vehicle. 

Peck said the goal is to have the dog on patrol by the end of October or early November.