K-9s Toby and Ruckus visit Bainbridge for Red Ribbon Week

Friday, October 31, 2014
After being attacked by "Ruckus," Principal Rodney Simpson then participates in an exercise with John Holcomb and Mike Mahoy where Mahoy held the dog by the leash as Ruckus was encouraged to bark and snarl at Simpson. Then just moments later, Simpson was handed the leash and walked with the 146-pound Italian Mastiff at a controlled heel. The exercise was to show kids that the dogs are not mean, they just have a job to do.

Bainbridge Elementary students received some special, furry visitors Thursday morning as part of Drug Free Awareness Week and Red Ribbon Week.

Roachdale Town Marshal Mike Mahoy and Master trainer John Holcomb showcased the abilities of two K-9-trained dogs with a little help from Principal Rodney Simpson and an attack suit Thursday morning.

During the presentation, Holcomb volunteered the principal to put on an attack suit in order to demonstrate the ability of Ruckus, a 146-pound Italian Mastiff K-9, to apprehend a suspect.

It was hard to imagine that Simpson would need coffee for the rest of the day.

Needless to say, the students enjoyed the non-traditional assembly and Simpson felt his time in the attack suit was valuable.

"It was well worth it." Simpson said.

"It went just fine."

Ruckus is Holcomb's personal dog, although he has been trained to perform similar duties to the dogs he trains in Parke County that are destined to become police dogs or protection animals.

Mahoy showcased his latest dog Toby's abilities to seek out drugs on command.

Four wooden boxes with holes in the top were placed on the floor of the gymnasium, with contraband being placed into one of the boxes.

After Toby found the drugs, the exercise was repeated with a teacher coming down to rearrange the boxes.

To the delight of a gymnasium full elementary students, Toby found the illegal substance box without any difficulties.

"Toby knows the difference between a good guy and a bad guy," Mahoy told the students, explaining that he trains nearly every day with Toby and that he is a member of the family in addition to being a police K-9.

"We train all the time. It's a lot of work, a lot of dedication but, it pays off in the long run," Mahoy continued, "Toby stays with me at night. He's become my partner."

The Roachdale Police Department (RPD), and specifically Mahoy, was able to receive Toby through a grant from the Prevention, Intervention and Education (PIE) Coalition and several local donation.

Toby has also recently received a K-9 ballistics vest thanks to a nation-wide campaign by the company Groupons that has raised more than $335,000.

A portion of that money is being used by Vested Interest in K-9s to provide more than 350 law enforcement dogs across the country with protective body armor in honor of a police dog from the Pittsburgh Police Department who died in the line of duty in January.

Mahoy and RPD will benefit greatly from this grant, he said.

Mahoy actively seeks grants and donations in an attempt to keep costs associated with Toby at a minimum to taxpayers.

PIE Coalition member and executive director or the Putnam County Youth Development Commission Linda Merkel was also part of the assembly, explaining that the last week in October is held as Red Ribbon Week to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs.

The campaign began after a DEA agent was killed in Mexico City in 1985 by the drug cartels he was trying to fight.

The tenets of the campaign were highlighted as Merkel got the students to say this year's theme in unison.

"Love yourself, be drug free," the students shouted back at her.

Merkel and Mahoy have been visiting Putnam County schools all week to spread the anti-drug message and to show students how dogs are used to help police officers in the line of duty.

Mahoy highlighted that constant training with his K-9 partner is important to the ability to perform his duties.

"It's every day work," Holcomb said about training dogs, with a parallel that being drug free requires the same daily effort.

"Just like tying your shoes."

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