For the first time in its history, the Canine Unit (K9) of the Ontario Provincial Police has released a fundraising calendar.
The 2018 calendar, which features OPP service dogs from some of the 27 K9 teams across Ontario, is available for purchase at local OPP detachments:
- Peterborough County (453 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough, 705-742-0401)
- City of Kawartha Lakes Detachment (3028 Highway 35, Lindsay, 705-324-6741)
- Cobourg Detachment (1165 Division St., Cobourg, 905-372-5421)
- Brighton Detachment (95 Dundas St, Brighton, 613 475-1313)
- Campbellford Detachment (20 Industrial Dr., Campbellford, 705-653-3300)
- Bancroft Detachment (64 Monck St., Bancroft, 613-332-2112)
- Haliburton Highlands Detachment (12598 Hwy 35, Minden, 705-286-1431)
Each calendar costs $15, with proceeds going to the OPP Youth Foundation and the Friends of the OPP Museum.
The OPP Youth Foundation provides funds to disadvantaged youth throughout the province of Ontario, and the Friends of the OPP Museum is a volunteer-based charitable organization that supports, promotes, and assists in the preservation of the history of the OPP. For more information, visit oppyouthfoundation.ca and oppmuseumfriends.ca.
The OPP K9 unit was formed in 1965, at which time only three teams were trained to provide support services to all of the OPP and other law enforcement agencies across the province. There are currently 27 teams, each team consisting of a dog and a handler. There are also an additional 16 dogs trained for specific detection duties.
Each team is stationed at strategic points throughout the province, providing canine support for search and rescue, tracking wanted persons, detecting narcotics, searching for cadavers, as well as firearms, explosives and physical evidence. Canine teams are also involved in community service work, fundraising, and public demonstrations.
