The Indianola City Council approved the purchase of a K9 vehicle for the Indianola Police Department at their meeting Monday, moving ahead the timeline for the department to integrate the K9 unit into the department. City Manager Ben Reeves tells KNIA News the Indianola Police Department has put in a lot of time to engage with the public to help raise awareness of why a K9 unit will help the department in many ways.

“I just want to applaud the police department, and especially Chief Sher, for all of the work they are doing to raise funds for the K9 unit. If you came out to the public safety open house you saw the chief raising funds with his dog costume on, I’ve never seen a department work so hard to meet the needs of its residents. Even to the extent of raising funds how they are.”

Reeves also said the department is fundraising to obtain a K9 unit, and the council has stated they will make up any budget shortfall there may be.