MARYLAND — The Maryland State Police Aviation Command is receiving new equipment designed to help rescue and deploy law enforcement K-9s during emergencies and field operations.
The Maryland Police K-9 Foundation donated seven specialized hoist harnesses, one for each of the agency’s helicopters. The equipment is intended to help troopers lift canines out of difficult-to-reach areas and transport them when they need medical care.
Scott Lockerman with the Maryland Police K-9 Foundation says the donation is one way to give back to the troopers who support law enforcement agencies on the ground.
“They're always there in the sky helping us out on the roads when we're working, patrolling areas, looking for bad guys, also looking for missing people,” Lockerman said. “And, we wanted to give back to them in a certain way that we can help out as well.”
The foundation operates under Chesapeake Charities, which handles donations and helps distribute funds to support its work.
Renee Dejewski with Chesapeake Charities says the organization provides administrative support so the foundation can focus on its mission.
“We really are the administrative arm behind their foundation so they can focus on their mission,” Dejewski told WBOC. “We handle the donations. We help, send the money out to the appropriate organizations and coordinate timing and things like that.”
Lockerman says the harnesses can be used when a K-9 has a medical emergency and needs to be lifted aboard an aircraft for transport. They can also help troopers deploy dogs into areas that are difficult to reach by vehicle or on foot.
Matthew Walsh, a state trooper and flight paramedic with the Maryland State Police Aviation Command, says crews can now provide medical care to working canines aboard their aircraft following a change in Maryland law.
“We have a canine care kit on our aircraft, where we're able to perform a lot of the medical procedures that we do to save a human life in the aircraft on a canine now,” Walsh said.
The foundation paid $250 per harness, covering the cost of all seven. The harnesses are expected to be placed on the state police helicopters after crews complete training and establish procedures for using them.
