MAULDIN TO PURCHASE DRUG DOG

MAULDIN - City police and other emergency response personnel expect the
purchase of a dog to help them not only in drug enforcement, but also to
track other suspects and find lost or missing persons.

Department officials said they are close to buying the "multi-purpose"
canine, which would provide security during high-risk calls.

"It's probably the most efficient way to search a large building for
burglars," said Police Chief John Davidson. "We have insecure buildings (to
be searched) all of the time. It takes a lot of time for the officer to
look through them when they're looking for people."

A dog has the ability to actually hear the suspects's heartbeat and smell
the suspect's body odor, he said.

Davidson said the dog is especially needed to help control drug activity,
not only in the city, but also along drug corridors like Interstate 385.

"We're a city of about 16,000 people, but we also have access to
interstates and U.S. highways," said Police Chief John Davidson. "We know
that the I-85 and I-385 corridor from Atlanta to Charlotte is a major drug
transportation corridor."

J.H. "Spider" Littleton, Anderson County Sheriff's Office canine
coordinator and bomb dog handler, said the dual-purpose dogs are invaluable
to the department's work. The dogs help law enforcement catch suspects and
locate lost children and adults.

"What price can you put on one lost child or one lost Alzheimer's
patient?," said Littleton. "You put this dog in the car with a police
officer, you've just doubled your manpower."

Simpsonville Police Chief Charles Reece said that city should get a
dual-purpose dog by March 1.

"They're extremely helpful and well worth the money," said Reece. "That dog
just has senses that an officer doesn't have."

The Mauldin Police Department expects to put out a request this week for
bids to supply and train the animal and handler/officer, and supply the
start-up equipment that the handler will need.

It hopes to award the bid by the end of February and have the dog on the
street by the end of May.

The department is funding the $10,000-$12,000 project with a $5,000
corporate donation from Milkbone and B.J. Wholesale. The balance will be
funded from the department's fines, forfeiture and seizure accounts related
to drug enforcement.