Thanks to the support of the community, the Middletown Community Foundation recently provided a grant for the Middletown Township Police Department to purchase, train and equip a new K-9 dog.
Officer Kevin Eckenrode and K-9 Jax will start training in the fall. Jax will be trained as an explosive detection dog. Eckenrode’s current longtime K-9 partner Nyxx will be retiring as Jax completes training.
Middletown Community Foundation president Jim Merrill, a township resident and CEO of Inspire Federal Credit Union, presented the police department with the $10,000 grant to purchase, train and provide gear for Jax at Monday evening’s Middletown Township board of supervisors meeting. Police and township officials celebrated the nonprofit organization’s grant and welcomed the new patrol dog.
“The things that the foundation does in this community doesn’t go unnoticed by this board,” said supervisors chairperson Tom Tosti, adding that the Middletown Community Foundation has supported a number of programs for the community, including the popular Shop With A Cop program, a scholarship and other community service work.
“We are made up of a volunteer board of directors who fulfill the task and the mission of the foundation,” said Merrill. “Our goal is very simple – improve the quality of life in Middletown Township, the community we’re proud to call home.”
K-9 Jax is the fourth police dog the foundation has helped fund. Officer Mary Alice Felt’s K-9 Fitz, Officer Troy Clawson’s K-9 Kratos and Officer Steve Andrew’s K-9 Jester came to the township with support from the foundation.
