TONTITOWN (KFSM) -- Thanks to the help of a new business, the Tontitown Police Department will be able to grow their force.
Super Cuts recently opened on Highway 412 and the owners decided to donate $10,000 to the Tontitown Police Department. The money will be used to purchase the department's first K-9 officer.
"With the amount of traffic we have coming through here, as well as a growing population, we are trying to get ahead of the curve," Corey Jenison, a Tontitown police officer, said.
Jenison will soon be the city’s only K-9 handler. Super Cuts owner Joe Serrano said donating the money to the department was an easy decision.
"Especially in the smaller towns, where the department isn’t as big as the larger cities, we definitely want to have a big impact," Serrano said.
Police Chief Joey McCormick said they will purchase the new K-9 by the end of the year.
"It was amazing to have the support that quick," he said. "The community here has really embraced the idea of having a dog."
Jenison said the addition of the K-9 will also benefit other city employees.
"It is like another officer on the road. It will help a lot of ways," he said.
With 15,000 cars moving through the city each day, Jenison said the dog will help stop many crimes.
"It will be searching vehicles, searching for narcotics," he said. "[The dog will also help locate] lost people and lost kids."
Serrano said he was glad the company could do their part to make the city a safer place.
"We wanted to make sure they got the dog to make sure they can protect the City of Tontitown even better than they already do," Serrano said.
McCormick said, with the donation, police officers now have another reason to support local businesses.
"We want everybody to make sure they utilize Super Cuts here in town because they sure have helped us out," McCormick said.
Tontitown police will also need to purchase a protective vest for the new K-9. McCormick said Super Cuts already expressed interest in funding that purchase as well.