Cherokee schools declare police K-9 ‘surplus’

With the recent resignation of the certified K-9 handler of the Cherokee County School District Police Department, the school board has declared the dog “surplus” so that its ownership can be transferred to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

In a report to the school board, staff said it researched possible solutions and said the district’s best course of action was to transfer the highly trained canine to the sheriff’s office, which has its own K-9 unit, and try to sell its equipment, valued at approximately $8,000.

“This alleviates CCSD from the need to have a full-time K-9 handler on staff and allows school police to dedicate all officers to school-based assignments and community policing duties,” staff said.