Kimberling City’s new K9 officer proves herself a useful member of police department
K9 Officer Ginger is trained and certified to detect methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana.
Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
As Kimberling City continues to rebuild its police department, one of its new members K9 Officer Ginger is doing her part to serve and protect.
“K9 Officer Ginger is half Bloodhound and half English Mastiff and she is six years old. We were both trained by Gary LaFollett, owner and operator of Drug Beat USA, LaFollett K9 Training Center in Strafford, Missouri,” K9 Handler Officer Billie Kregel said.
Last week, K9 Officer Ginger, Handler Officer Kregel, and Officer Alexis Hobbs assisted another agency with a traffic stop during which K9 Officer Ginger was tasked with sniffing the vehicle and found illegal drugs. Since then, another agency has also requested K9 Officer Ginger’s assistance.
K9 Officer Ginger is trained and certified to detect methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana. In addition to being trained to find drugs, K9 Officer Ginger is trained in tracking and her handler is currently working with her on article search, which would allow her to help locate missing people. However, the benefits she brings to the department don’t stop there.
“A K9 Officer serves a myriad of missions, from drug enforcement to tracking subjects to search and rescue. Officer Ginger is also an ambassador of the police department. She will be appearing at special events for protective and also public relations purposes. K9 Officer Ginger is an asset to the City of Kimberling City and Stone County for starters, being undeniably cute, while also serving the purpose of providing security and a deterrent in the city. A K9 is also a magnet for kids and kids-at-heart. The most common question a handler is asked during their career is "Can I pet your dog?" Furthermore, K9s are routinely credited with locating at-risk elderly individuals who have wandered from home and finding lost children,” Police Chief Todd Lemoine said.
K9 Officer Ginger has only been with the Kimberling City Police Department for a little more than a month. However, Chief Lemoine said he expects K9 Officer Ginger to continue to grow as an asset to the department.
“I feel that she can be instrumental in aiding the department’s Crisis Intervention Team in dealing with emotionally disturbed individuals as well as with officers interviewing victims of crime who are distraught over their traumatic experience,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine said K9 Officer Ginger has even become a mascot for the department.
“She visits my office every morning basically telling me good morning! I am extremely happy to have her and Officer Kregel a part of our staff. As time progresses, they will both make a mark on the community and the police department,” Chief Lemoine said.
K9 Officer Ginger is the first K9 that Kimberling City Police Department has ever had. While he certainly believes she is an asset, Chief Lemoine points out that maintaining a K9 Unit Program can be costly and time consuming.
“Although a K9 Unit was not budgeted for by the City Police Committee and Alderman board, Officer Kregel was adamant about bringing Officer Ginger with her when she was hired last month, regardless of her out-of-pocket expenses. It is my plan to justify to the community the worthiness of a K9 Unit within our department,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine hopes to gain support from the citizens of Kimberling City in order to continue the K9 Unit.
“The first item that K9 Officer Ginger can use is the donation of a tactical K9 trauma kit for potentially life-saving gear. Fact: Every time a K9 is injured or killed, they are treated with nearly as much reverence and respect as when a police officer suffers a similar fate,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine asks for continued support of the police department and the K9 Unit specifically.
“With the addition of one trained and certified Police Canine (K9) to our office, we feel that we can continue to make Kimberling City and the surrounding area a safer place to live and raise a family or to retire to. In the near future, after gathering some statistics of K9 Officer Gingers mission accomplishments, we would like to solicit the Kimberling City community. With the support of our community, we can build upon our K9 Unit Program,” Chief Lemoine said.
Support for the K9 Unit will go toward:
Monthly K9 and handler training with other area agencies to insure both K9 and handler stay up to date with changes in the law
Necessary equipment for the K9
Vehicle insert for the assigned K9 car for transportation of the K9 and an installed heat alarm for the vehicle
Veterinary care
Annual recertification test fees
Purchase of training odor to maintain the K9's narcotics certification
Chief Lemoine said all donation amounts are appreciated. People who would like to support the program in any way, can send donations to City Hall or drop them by the office. Checks can be made out to Kimberling City Police Department K9 fund to ensure the donation is placed in the proper account. Donations are tax deductible; therefore, please provide the department with name, address and phone number and it will ensure that donors receive a proper receipt for documentation.
As Kimberling City continues to rebuild its police department, one of its new members K9 Officer Ginger is doing her part to serve and protect.
“K9 Officer Ginger is half Bloodhound and half English Mastiff and she is six years old. We were both trained by Gary LaFollett, owner and operator of Drug Beat USA, LaFollett K9 Training Center in Strafford, Missouri,” K9 Handler Officer Billie Kregel said.
Last week, K9 Officer Ginger, Handler Officer Kregel, and Officer Alexis Hobbs assisted another agency with a traffic stop during which K9 Officer Ginger was tasked with sniffing the vehicle and found illegal drugs. Since then, another agency has also requested K9 Officer Ginger’s assistance.
K9 Officer Ginger is trained and certified to detect methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana. In addition to being trained to find drugs, K9 Officer Ginger is trained in tracking and her handler is currently working with her on article search, which would allow her to help locate missing people. However, the benefits she brings to the department don’t stop there.
“A K9 Officer serves a myriad of missions, from drug enforcement to tracking subjects to search and rescue. Officer Ginger is also an ambassador of the police department. She will be appearing at special events for protective and also public relations purposes. K9 Officer Ginger is an asset to the City of Kimberling City and Stone County for starters, being undeniably cute, while also serving the purpose of providing security and a deterrent in the city. A K9 is also a magnet for kids and kids-at-heart. The most common question a handler is asked during their career is "Can I pet your dog?" Furthermore, K9s are routinely credited with locating at-risk elderly individuals who have wandered from home and finding lost children,” Police Chief Todd Lemoine said.
K9 Officer Ginger has only been with the Kimberling City Police Department for a little more than a month. However, Chief Lemoine said he expects K9 Officer Ginger to continue to grow as an asset to the department.
“I feel that she can be instrumental in aiding the department’s Crisis Intervention Team in dealing with emotionally disturbed individuals as well as with officers interviewing victims of crime who are distraught over their traumatic experience,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine said K9 Officer Ginger has even become a mascot for the department.
“She visits my office every morning basically telling me good morning! I am extremely happy to have her and Officer Kregel a part of our staff. As time progresses, they will both make a mark on the community and the police department,” Chief Lemoine said.
K9 Officer Ginger is the first K9 that Kimberling City Police Department has ever had. While he certainly believes she is an asset, Chief Lemoine points out that maintaining a K9 Unit Program can be costly and time consuming.
“Although a K9 Unit was not budgeted for by the City Police Committee and Alderman board, Officer Kregel was adamant about bringing Officer Ginger with her when she was hired last month, regardless of her out-of-pocket expenses. It is my plan to justify to the community the worthiness of a K9 Unit within our department,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine hopes to gain support from the citizens of Kimberling City in order to continue the K9 Unit.
“The first item that K9 Officer Ginger can use is the donation of a tactical K9 trauma kit for potentially life-saving gear. Fact: Every time a K9 is injured or killed, they are treated with nearly as much reverence and respect as when a police officer suffers a similar fate,” Chief Lemoine said.
Chief Lemoine asks for continued support of the police department and the K9 Unit specifically.
“With the addition of one trained and certified Police Canine (K9) to our office, we feel that we can continue to make Kimberling City and the surrounding area a safer place to live and raise a family or to retire to. In the near future, after gathering some statistics of K9 Officer Gingers mission accomplishments, we would like to solicit the Kimberling City community. With the support of our community, we can build upon our K9 Unit Program,” Chief Lemoine said.
Support for the K9 Unit will go toward:
Monthly K9 and handler training with other area agencies to insure both K9 and handler stay up to date with changes in the law
Necessary equipment for the K9
Vehicle insert for the assigned K9 car for transportation of the K9 and an installed heat alarm for the vehicle
Veterinary care
Annual recertification test fees
Purchase of training odor to maintain the K9's narcotics certification
Chief Lemoine said all donation amounts are appreciated. People who would like to support the program in any way, can send donations to City Hall or drop them by the office. Checks can be made out to Kimberling City Police Department K9 fund to ensure the donation is placed in the proper account. Donations are tax deductible; therefore, please provide the department with name, address and phone number and it will ensure that donors receive a proper receipt for documentation.