By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
When they return to school next week, Bellmont students are going to have a “classmate” whom they might not remember because he’s undergone such a growth spurt this summer.
School Resource Officer Trent Busse will be back for a new school year and with him will be his K-9, Koda. Students got a look at the K-9 late in the past school year, but he has grown quite a bit since then.
Koda and handler Busse are now graduates, having received their official papers from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Academy a few days ago (see photo).
Koda, a Golden Retriever, is over a year old now. He will be the first trained K-9 to work at Bellmont.
Busse took possession of the dog last November. He stays with the Busse family on their farm.
North Adams is paying for the dog’s training, around $900, and also providing a “kennel” at the police station and some other necessities.
Donations of food, medical care, etc., have been received by the Decatur PD.
Koda has been trained to find drugs, guns, etc. He is not aggressive like the city department’s other two police K-9s, who are trained differently.
The dog will also offer therapy. Studies have shown, Busse has said, that young people respond to animals and are more likely to reach out to a police officer who has a dog.
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