SEBASTIAN PURCHASES FORCE'S 1ST POLICE DOG

SEBASTIAN -- The latest addition to the Sebastian Police Department is a
black German shepherd that answers to the name Rocky.

The 22-month-old arrived in Sebastian last week and is the department's
first police dog. There are more than 30 officers on the police force.

The city purchased Rocky for $4,200 from Mid-Florida Working Dogs of Cocoa,
the same vendor who provided dogs for the Vero Beach Police Department and
the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, City Manager Terrence Moore said.

Officer Ritchie Revis started his first day Monday training to be a K-9
handler.

Police Chief Jim Davis said Revis and Rocky will spend 400 hours throughout
the next 10 weeks working on tracking exercises, trailing, locating
narcotics and apprehension work before the unit takes to Sebastian streets.

Rocky is expected to complete training by mid-January.

"It's another tool to be used by the police officers in locating missing
children and missing elderly," Davis said. "It will also be used to locate
narcotics in vehicle stops."

Davis said three officers applied for the handler position and all were
qualified, so it came down to a matter of seniority.

Revis, who has been with the department for five years, was assigned and
will have full custody of the dog, Davis said.

The department set up a community fund last June to get money to start the
dog unit. Meagan Beigel and Sammy Thomas, both 11-year-old students from
Pelican Island Elementary school, kick-started the fund-raiser by
contributing $50.

Soon, other residents and businesses donated money. A total of $11,590 was
raised to pay for the start-up costs of the program.

"I think it's fantastic," Moore said. "It simply lets both myself and
council members know a lot of people who live in Sebastian are most
interested in the community and particularly the safety and welfare of
neighborhoods in general."

Residents can meet Rocky at a presentation during the next City Council
meeting Nov. 13.