Pubdate: Sat, 29 Nov 2003 Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY) Copyright: 2003 Lexington Herald-Leader Contact: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240 Author: Peter Mathews MONEY POURS IN FOR A NEW PARTNER Montgomery Countians Help Out After Officer's Dog Dies When Deputy Shannon Taylor's partner died, people in Montgomery County reached deep into their pockets so he could get a new one. As of Wednesday, they had raised $14,554, including contributions of $5,000 and $4,000. The owner of the local drive-in gave part of his gate receipts. And a donated Weatherby .270 rifle fetched $2,800 in a raffle at Court Days. The money will go toward a new police dog to replace Bojar, a black German shepherd that died Aug. 26 of an undetectable heart ailment. Sheriff Fred Shortridge credits Bojar, along with school resource officer Ben Wilcox, with helping to reduce the number of drug arrests at Montgomery County High School from about 95 four years ago to 15-17 now. The department has a 'no-knock' policy with the school district, Shortridge said. The officers, canine and human, check parking lots and inside lockers. "I think it's a good way to deter drugs," said Randy Mann, a Mount Sterling car dealer who made a donation, even though his children go to school in Bath County. "It keeps the kids from even thinking about bringing them to school." Chris Erwin, who operates the Judy Drive-In near Mount Sterling, said he was moved by the story of Bojar's death. "I just thought it was a terrible thing that the community lost," he said. So one night Erwin showed a dog movie -- My Dog Skip -- along with his regular feature and auctioned off movie memorabilia to raise money for Bojar's replacement. Bojar's sense of smell never let him down, Taylor recalled. Once, when officers could smell marijuana in a car but not locate it, Bojar found the two cigarettes -- concealed inside the horn. The officers have their eyes on a Belgian Malinois, a herding dog often used for police work. They are talking with dealers in Ohio and South Carolina. Shortridge hopes to negotiate the price down from $7,500. Other costs include training, equipment, upkeep and veterinarian bills. Taylor expects to get the dog around the first of the year. After the second week of training, he'll start living with Taylor, so the bonding process between partners can begin again. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens