CVTC students raise $1,000 for county K-9 program

The Criminal Justice Club at Chippewa Valley Technical College-River Falls is a supporter of the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit.

Last Thursday, club president Mark Andren presented the department with a check for $1,000 that will be used to cover general expenses of the program — including dog food and veterinarian bills.

The club held a raffle to raise the money. The drawing for the prizes — a 46-inch television and $300 and $200 in cash — took place at River Falls Days in July.

The Luther Auto Group and Massage Envy were two of the main business contributors to the fundraiser.

The sheriff’s department has three police dogs. The K-9 unit is funded entirely through donations.

“What they can do for us is just phenomenal,” Capt. Knudson said of the dogs.

All three dogs are dually trained for patrol work and narcotics detection.

“Their noses are their bread and butter,” Knudson said.

He said the department’s police dog Ace recently found a woman who disappeared after she was feared to have overdosed on prescription drugs.

Another fundraiser for the K-9 unit is scheduled for Star Prairie’s Ox Cart Days on Aug. 21. The proceeds from a 5/10K “Fun Walk/Run” will be donated to the unit.

Registration forms and details are available at www.oxcartdays.com.

The Criminal Justice Club is a group of law enforcement students at CVTC-River Falls.

CVTC offers a two-year program in law enforcement, which prepares students to become state-certified police officers.

The CVTC campus at River Falls currently has 27 law enforcement students. Eighty-one are enrolled in the program at the technical college’s main campus in Eau Claire.

Tags: saint croix county, education, college, events