From left are Washington Township Trustees Dennis Cooper, Ron Rudd and Dave Peters, Deputy Jim Kirker, Piak, Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg and Captain Jeff Sellars.

From left are Washington Township Trustees Dennis Cooper, Ron Rudd and Dave Peters, Deputy Jim Kirker, Piak, Sheriff A.J. “Tim” Rodenberg and Captain Jeff Sellars.
By Kristin Rover
Sun staff

Washington Township gained a four-legged member of the police force this month with the arrival of Piak, a drug and patrol dog from Holland.

Washington Township Trustees helped fund the canine for the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office.

Washington Township Trustee Ron Rudd said the township has had problems with drug trafficking and breaking and entering incidents in the township.

“In Washington Township we have 52 going through,” Rudd said.

Rudd said they are hoping a drug dog will help stop some of the heroin movement and other drug trafficking in the area.

“If we feel we can provide another tool we want to do that,” Rudd said about funding a drug dog for the township. “It’s a very neat and useful tool to have.”

Washington Township contracts with the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office for police services.

Clermont County Sheriff Tim Rodenberg said the township provided the funds needed to purchase and train the dog.

“They generously donated everything we needed,” Rodenberg said about Washington Township Trustees.

The cost of purchasing and training the dog was around $27,000.

“Without their help, we wouldn’t have another dog,” Rodenberg said.

Rodenberg said the sheriff’s office has three other shepherds and one blood hound.

He said Piak will primarily be used in Washington Township unless they need him for another situation like searching for a missing person, working in schools, or looking for drug evidence in another area.

“It’s certainly a good area to have a dog,” Rodenberg said about Washington Township.

Rodenberg said just having a dog in the area can be a deterrent for drug activity.

Deputy Jim Kirker, Piak’s handler, has been with the sheriff’s office since 1993 and in Washington Township for seven years.

Kirker said Piak arrived in January and they began training together several weeks later.

“I trained with the Southern Ohio Police Canine,” Kirker said.

Kirker said the training with Dave Johnson was intense, especially with the colder than normal temperatures.

He said he has enjoyed forming a bond with Piak.

“He is with me 24/7,” Kirker said.

Kirker said Piak was trained to be a dual purposed canine and can perform drug tracking and patrol work.

After spending several months training, Kirker said Piak began his duties in the township about two weeks ago.

Washington Township trustees said they are glad to have Piak working in the township.

“It’s going to make our community a lot safer,” Trustee Dave Peters said.