By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Through the help of a local business owner, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety was able to introduce its newest K9 member, Kato, at Monday’s Wyoming City Council meeting.

State Rep. Tommy Brann, who owns Brann’s Steakhouse in Wyoming, and the K911 Foundation, each contributed 50 percent of the total cost to purchase Kato. The City of Wyoming purchased Kato from the Shallow Creek Kennels in Pennsylvania for $4,450.

“For several decades now, Wyoming police K9 team has been an important part of our organization,” said Chief Kim Koster at the meeting. “These canines are part of our entire police family and they are speciality trained in enforcement activities such as clearing buildings, tracking suspects and searching for narcotics. They also assist officers enforcement actives such as searching for lost of missing persons.”

Koster noted one of the greatest benefits from the K9 program is the impact it has had on police and community relationships.

“Most kids love dogs and they ask their parents if they can come over and touch the dog,” she said. “They say ‘hi’ to the dog and from there, there have been many good conservations that we have had that have helped start and build upon on our relationships with our community.”

The new additions

The Wyoming police’s K9 unit is overseen by Lt. Brian Look and Sgt. Robert Robinson and consists of four handlers who live, work and train with the four K9 officers. In August, Officer Ryan Paterson received a promotion which lead to him moving on from his position as a handler. His partner, Chase, also retired from the unit after seven years of service.

Through a selection process, Officer Logan Wieber was chosen to fill the vacancy on the K9 unit. He is partnered with Kato, a 14-month old German Shepherd who was imported from Poland to the United States.

“Although he is a green dog in the world of canines, as you can probably tell,” Koster said as Kato took in his new surroundings. “He will be trained by the staff.”

The importance of community support

Koster expressed her appreciation to Brann for his continued support of the Wyoming police department.

“Tommy has made serving people his biggest priority and the investment he made with our K9 team is another extension for that heart for service,” she said.

Brann said he his appreciative of all the support he has received in the past 51 years as a restaurant owner.

“I own a bar, and so when you have bar fights, who comes? The police,” Brann said, adding that he supports the police and the work they do and plans to continue doing so in the future.