MONEY POURS IN FOR A NEW PARTNER

Montgomery Countians Help Out After Officer's Dog Dies

When Deputy Shannon Taylor's partner died, people in Montgomery County
reached deep into their pockets so he could get a new one.

As of Wednesday, they had raised $14,554, including contributions of $5,000
and $4,000. The owner of the local drive-in gave part of his gate receipts.
And a donated Weatherby .270 rifle fetched $2,800 in a raffle at Court Days.

The money will go toward a new police dog to replace Bojar, a black German
shepherd that died Aug. 26 of an undetectable heart ailment.

Sheriff Fred Shortridge credits Bojar, along with school resource officer
Ben Wilcox, with helping to reduce the number of drug arrests at Montgomery
County High School from about 95 four years ago to 15-17 now.

The department has a 'no-knock' policy with the school district, Shortridge
said. The officers, canine and human, check parking lots and inside lockers.

"I think it's a good way to deter drugs," said Randy Mann, a Mount Sterling
car dealer who made a donation, even though his children go to school in
Bath County. "It keeps the kids from even thinking about bringing them to
school."

Chris Erwin, who operates the Judy Drive-In near Mount Sterling, said he
was moved by the story of Bojar's death.

"I just thought it was a terrible thing that the community lost," he said.
So one night Erwin showed a dog movie -- My Dog Skip -- along with his
regular feature and auctioned off movie memorabilia to raise money for
Bojar's replacement.

Bojar's sense of smell never let him down, Taylor recalled. Once, when
officers could smell marijuana in a car but not locate it, Bojar found the
two cigarettes -- concealed inside the horn.

The officers have their eyes on a Belgian Malinois, a herding dog often
used for police work. They are talking with dealers in Ohio and South Carolina.

Shortridge hopes to negotiate the price down from $7,500. Other costs
include training, equipment, upkeep and veterinarian bills.

Taylor expects to get the dog around the first of the year. After the
second week of training, he'll start living with Taylor, so the bonding
process between partners can begin again.