Efforts Underway To Raise Money For OK Co. Jail K-9

New efforts are underway to get a K-9 for the Oklahoma County Jail.

The sheriff's office Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 155 is collecting donations for the dog that could sniff out narcotics and cell phones.

“It’s a very big problem,” Lt. Larry Grant, President of FOP Lodge 155 said.

It's a constant battle keeping up with the contraband coming into the Oklahoma County Jail and the creative ways accused criminals try to hide cell phones and drugs from detention officers.

“That actually makes their job a hundred times harder and many more times dangerous,” Lt. Grant explained.

When searching a cell for contraband, detention officers are trained to think like the inmate and look into every nook and cranny.

But Sgt. Curtis Whittington said a K-9 could make that process faster and more fruitful.

“It’s hard to hide stuff from a dog. Their sense of smell…they’ll be able to find it,” Whittington told News 9.

Sgt. Whittington is working to raise money through a GoFundMe page on behalf of FOP Lodge 155 to get the jail a narcotics and cell phone searching K-9.

The goal is to raise $15,000 to cover the cost of the dog and supplies.