A nonprofit organization in Johns Creek is hoping to raise $20,000 to build a police K-9 training facility.
Leadership Johns Creek aims to establish the facility because it would eliminate the need for police dogs and officers to travel to nearby cities, or get permission to use private land, in order to complete monthly training required of the canines.
The project has “full support” from the city of Johns Creek and the police department, according to Kimberly Greer, assistant city manager and LJC project team member.
“When we approached Chief (Ed) Densmore and explained that we wanted to do something to help the police department and specifically try to address the regional drug issue we had been reading about in the news, he came back with the K-9 Training Facility as a suggestion,” Greer said in an email.
The city has agreed to dedicate land if the group can provide the equipment, search boxes and obstacles, the GoFundMe page says. The facility will likely be located on a parcel of city-owned Cauley Creek and could open in mid-April, according to project team leader Sandra Pastorello.
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More than $1,300 had been raised on the fundraising site as of Tuesday morning.
In addition to those funds, sponsorships have come from the Atlanta Retailers Association, Northside Hospital, Wild Wing Cafe, Emory Johns Creek, Freeman Outdoor Lighting, The Rotary Club – Johns Creek, The PawPlex, Perimeter Church and Drive Planning, Greer said. The Home Depot and Lowe’s have donated or reduced the cost of supplies as well.
Donations will also be accepted at a Community Build Day for the project, which will be held Saturday at Newton Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will help put together supplies that'll be used in the facility.
Neighboring law enforcement agencies, from counties such as Gwinnett and Forsyth, would also be welcome to use the space, Pastorello said. The facility will include training components such as bite sleeves and a low crawl box.
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