A just-retired Ohio state police officer has been offered an auxiliary job so that he can continue to work with his favorite K-9 police dog.
According to Fox New Ohio, the job is being offered to the officer, Matthew Hickey, 57, after the city of Marietta continually rebuffed his attempts to buy the dog.
Typically, officers can purchase their K-9 partners for $1 when the dog retires — however, in this case, Hickey is the one retiring, not his dog, Ajax.
On Monday, however, city officials told a new conference that Hickey could be made an unpaid “auxiliary officer” so that he would be able to continue to work with his K-9 companion. Hickey and Ajax worked together on the force for 5 years.
The city’s original plan involved putting Ajax up for auction this week, as is required by law in situations such as these. However, as news spread, Matthew Hickey received an outpouring of support. His gofundme.com account raised $65,000 for the officer to purchase the dog.
Since this new deal will allow Hickey to continue to work with Ajax free of charge, the retired officer has stated that the money from his gofundme will be contributed to a K-9 charity that buys bulletproof vests for dogs.
After Hickey’s five years as an unpaid auxiliary officer, he will be able to purchase Ajax for $1 as the dog will have by then reached retirement age.
“I’ve had so many calls from other K-9 officers in… Ohio who said they’re so worried about losing their dogs,” Hickey said. He has also expressed an interest in changed Ohio’s law concerning the matter.