The Alpharetta Business Association has donated $17,000 to the police department for the purchase of a new K-9.
The police department usually has five K-9s, but currently there are only three after K-9 Karlo passed away in January 2021 during routine surgery and Instagram-famous K-9 Mattis retired in March of last year.
The donation from Alpharetta Business Association will pay for the purchase and training of one new police dog. The cost and training of another K-9 is included of the city’s current fiscal year budget.
Police Chief John Robison received the donation on behalf of the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation Oct. 24 during the City Council meeting.
Officer Brandon O’Donnell said the department will soon select two officers to be handlers for the new dogs, as well as a training school where the officers will meet the new K-9s.
“It will be toward the end of December, beginning of January when they will be assigned their K-9,” O’Donnell added.
The three K-9s currently in the unit are Axe, Raider and Hammer.
Mattis is doing well at home in retirement, said Sgt. Mark Tappan, who was his handler during active duty.
Mattis has 265,000 Instagram followers and he’s featured in two books by Tappan available on Amazon, “My Dog Mattis” and “My Dog Mattis and the Barefoot Bandits.”
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