Drug dog eyed for Flomaton

Council gives chief OK to purchase new drug-sniffing dog

The Flomaton Town Council gave its approval to Police Chief Chance Thompson to proceed with getting a drug-sniffing K-9 on board with the Flomaton Police Department.

Thompson said he has been approached about Dixie K-9, which is willing to donate a trained dog to the department. He said such a dog would normally cost between $6,000 and $7,000. Thompson emphasized the dog would not be trained to bite, but could also be used to track a missing person.

Thompson told the council that Highway 113 and Highway 31 are major drug routes for drugs coming from Atlanta to Pensacola and from Pensacola to Atlanta.

He said his goal is to stop, or at least slow down, the drug traffic through Flomaton and that the K-9 was essential to that plan.

He noted an officer would have to be trained to handle the K-9, but didn't see that as a problem. He also said the K-9 would be a good public relations tool for the town to show it won't tolerate drugs.

Thompson said once the dog arrives there will be a $50 per month cost in fees and about $400 a year in veterinarian bills in addition to food.

But he also said he expects the dog to help police make enough arrests and seizure to more than cover the cost and add additional revenue to the police department.

Although no final vote was taken to accept the dog, the council gave Thompson its unanimous support to move forward with the plan.