With some help from Tito’s Vodka, MTCF raised $5,000
In 2015, the K-9 division of the Monroe Township Police Department was in a tough spot financially and needed two more canine officers. This led officers Tom Pacilio and Max Janofsky to take matters into their own hands.
“We recognized a need several years ago that we were having funding issues,” Police Chief John McKeown said. “We were looking to return the K-9 unit to what it had been but we didn’t have budget funding. I went to a training session and saw other agencies had foundations to support.”
With that information in tow, Pacilio started the Monroe Township Canine Foundation to fundraise on behalf of the K-9 unit. Fundraising can be anything from a beef and beer to scheduled jeep rides all to benefit the K-9 unit.
“With that money we can purchase dogs and equipment,” Palicio said. “Training aids that help to do our job daily. It removes the taxpayers from that liability. We’re a nonprofit organization, we’re tax exempt.”
Palicio added a big aspect of the fundraising comes from selling T-shirts.
“Selling T-shirts keeps a lot of this going,” he said. He added they usually sell out quickly.
The cost of a new police dog, a 12-month old German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois, is $7,500. After the dog is purchased, the township sends the dog and an officer to training out of state for 16 weeks, which costs $3,500. Palicio added a fully outfitted K-9 police car can cost upward of $50,000.
On the flip side, he said that after the initial cost it is pretty cheap to keep a K-9 working, citing it costs roughly $1,500 per year.
“We have health insurance on the dogs,” he said. “All dogs have full-coverage health care.” Palicio added the policy is through St. Francis Animal Hospital in Swedesboro.
McKeown said the Monroe Township Police Department will be due to purchase a new dog in the near future. The Canine Foundation had a fundraiser over the summer to prepare for the upcoming expense.
Buy-Rite Liquors, in conjunction with Tito’s Vodka, had a fundraiser over July and August where Tito’s would donate $1 for every bottle sold.
“Through two months they raised $2,500,” Palicio said. “Bret [Madrack, owner of Buy-Rite Liquors] matched it. We received $5,000 total.”
Per a press release on the Monroe Township Police Department’s Facebook page, Tito’s Vodka has a program called “Vodka for Dog People” where they rescue dogs, provide dogs and help elderly/homebound seniors take care of their animals.
The K-9 unit in Monroe Township has been around since 1991 and currently has four teams. Palicio said they answer more than 500 calls per year.
After 10 years, Palicio’s dog will be retiring at the end of the year and he will be stepping down as a K-9 officer. Palicio has been with the Monroe Township Police Department for 16 years.
“I’ll still run the K-9 unit and the foundation,” he said.
The next dog purchased will begin training with a new handler on Dec. 3.
After 10 years of working with a K-9 unit, Palicio understands the importance of the K-9 division.
“It takes a special person to be a K-9 handler,” he said. “It’s a lot on the handler and a lot on the family. They live with us and our families.”
The Canine Foundation is always accepting donations. Checks can be sent to the Monroe Township Canine Foundation at 125 Virginia Ave., the same address as the police department. Palicio noted that because they are a nonprofit organization, the donations are tax-deductible.
