The Hendersonville Police Department has finished building a dedicated facility for its K9 unit, giving the department's five dogs and their handlers a permanent space to train and work.
The building provides handlers a place to train, prepare and care for the department's K9s, according to Sumner County Source. It will also serve as a training ground for new dogs joining the program.
K9 Sgt. Bill Frentz said the facility fills a need the unit has lacked.
"We are very grateful for everyone who helped make this new facility possible," Frentz told Main Street Media of Tennessee. "It will be a huge resource for our K9 team."
Community donations made it happen
The project did not come together on the department's budget alone. Local businesses, organizations and individual community members donated labor, materials, resources and financial support to complete the building, the department said.
The department thanked contributors and said the facility reflects the support it has received from residents and local groups who pitched in on the project.
Before the new building, the five-dog team and their handlers did not have a dedicated space built around the unit's specific needs. The facility now centralizes those operations under one roof.
A K9 team with specialized skills
HPD's K9 program includes capabilities beyond traditional patrol work. One of the unit's dogs, a 2-year-old named Stella, is trained to locate hidden digital evidence such as phones, memory cards and hard drives. Stella works with Detective Nicholas Edwards as part of a partnership between HPD, the U.S. Secret Service and the National Computer Forensic Institute, NewsChannel 5 reported on June 17.
That kind of specialized work requires consistent training environments. The new facility gives all five handlers and their dogs a home base built for that purpose.
Residents who want to learn more about the Hendersonville Police Department's K9 program or report a tip can contact HPD's non-emergency line at 615-264-5303.
