FREEHOLD – The 200 Club of Monmouth County has presented the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office with a check to purchase a new K-9, following the recent death of one of the unit’s members, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever, named Evan.
Sheriff Shaun Golden and members of the K-9 unit accepted a check on Tuesday, July 8, for $5,000 from the club.
Evan, who died June 27, specialized in narcotics detection and was the beloved partner of Sheriff’s Officer Kurt Kroeper.
“Our agency is extremely humbled by this charitable gesture and would like to thank the 200 Club of Monmouth County for its generosity,” Golden said. “K-9 Evan was a tremendous asset in the fight against drugs. That effort of ridding the streets of drugs, which plague our county, will continue through our K-9 unit, since the funds will be used to purchase a new narcotics detection dog.”
The 200 Club of Monmouth County provides family of law enforcement members, who died or were injured in the line of duty, with financial and emotional support. The organization is comprised of leaders in business, public service, education and other professions.
The $5,000 check that was presented will go to the sheriff’s office K-9 donation fund.
“We were saddened to learn about the loss of K-9 Evan who played a vital role in maintaining public safety,” said M. Claire French, president of the 200 Club of Monmouth County. “It’s our pleasure to donate these funds which will help ensure that our residents and law enforcement agencies continue to be served well.”
Throughout their course of work, Kroeper and Evan seized more than $1.1 million in cash, a result of numerous drug investigations. The K-9 team also located a significant amount of narcotics including heroin, cocaine and marijuana, which led to the arrests of hundreds of individuals.
“It makes sense for the 200 Club of Monmouth County to donate to this great cause,” said William Wingard, secretary to the 200 Club of Monmouth County who appealed to the organization for the donation. “Losing a police dog is not just a loss to the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, but a loss to the entire county.”
First Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Marc LeMieux commended the 200 Club for its support. “The K-9 unit assists our agency on many investigations and plays a vital role in protecting the public and continuing in the fight against drugs,” he said.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit presently consists of five sheriff’s officers/K-9 handlers and dogs. There are one narcotics detection team, two explosive detection teams, one narcotic patrol team and one explosive patrol team.
Those wishing to a donation to the MCSO’s K-9 Unit may send checks, payable to the Monmouth County Treasurer, to 2500 Kozloski Road, Freehold, N.J. 07728, with a letter indicating the funds are for the MCSO K-9 Donation Fund. The sheriff’s office K-9 donation fund was established in 1997, after the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office lost one of its own, K-9 Solo. Solo, a German shepherd, was shot during an attempted apprehension of a wanted individual.
