First National Bank & Trust’s Fun Committee recently chose to donate $2,300 raised from its Denim Days to maintain Kingsford Public Safety K-9 Scout and Dickinson County Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Cheeto. From left are Kingsford Public Safety Officer Rodney with K-9 Officer Scout; FNB Fun Committee members Diane Blaskowski, Joe Linn, Kira Peters, Mindey Fayas, Jean O’Dette, Jake Hogberg, Lisa Villringer and Tiana Hendrickson; and Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Randall Howe with K-9 Deputy Cheeto. (Terri Castelaz/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — Local K-9 officers will benefit from a $2,300 donation from the First National Bank & Trust’s Fun Committee.

Kingsford Public Safety K-9 Officer Scout and Dickinson County Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Cheeto were chosen as the quarterly recipients of the Denim Day fundraiser program.

K-9 Scout and Cheeto are part of the newly formed Dickinson Area Working Canine Program. The specialized law enforcement initiative between local agencies is designed to enhance public safety with the use of trained police dogs. The working K-9 funding comes from community donations and grants.

Dickinson County Sheriff’s K-9 Deputy Cheeto is a Belgian malinois, originally from the Netherlands. Deputy Randall Howe was selected to be the handler and attended month-long training at D & D K9 Dynamics in Gladstone.

Cheeto became the first K-9 officer in the department’s history in June 2024.

The K-9 program was made possible by an anonymous donor after the retirement of Iron Mountain Police Department K-9 Officer Falcon after more than eight years in service.

Cheeto’s skills include narcotics detection, apprehension, handler protection, building searches, tracking missing people or fugitives, and article detection.

Just after his arrival, the same donor reached out to inquire about interest in a second K-9. Kingsford Public Safety accepted and Officer Rodney Woodward was selected as the handler.

After they completed a five-week intensive team-building course at D & D K-9 Dynamics, Scout was sworn in as Kingsford Public Safety’s first K-9 officer in November 2024.

Scout is a Dutch shepherd, also from the Netherlands. He is trained in narcotics detection, obedience, tracking, article search and area search, suspect apprehension and handler protection.

Support from local residents and businesses plays a crucial role in sustaining and expanding the program, said Jean M. O’Dette, FNB Fun Committee member.

“They take a lot of money to maintain,” Woodward said of his partner. “We appreciate First National Bank’s check for $2,300, along with everyone else who has helped the program — every donation helps.”

Rodney said the funds will go toward needed training equipment, including bite suits, new collars and leashes, veterinary care and vehicle modifications.

The food for the K-9s is donated by Tractor Supply Co. “That’s a huge help and we can’t thank them enough, too,” Woodward said.

The Dickinson Area Working Canine Program also sells T-shirts, sweatshirts and K-9 bracelets to raise funds.

The K-9 program also places a strong emphasis on community engagement.

K-9 demonstrations are often done at schools and public events, helping to build trust between law enforcement and the community while educating the public about the vital role these dogs play in ensuring safety.

Woodward and Howe, along with three other K-9 handlers, will be at National Night Out on Aug. 5 at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Center in Aurora, Wis.

“We will be doing demonstrations to see them in action and meet and greet with the public,” Howe said. “The handlers will also be available to talk with.”

They are planning a fundraising event as well during the Dickinson County Fair in Norway.

Woodward and Howe welcomes any group or organization interested in having a K-9 presentation. They can contact either officer at their departments.

“Our staff was excited to support the canines with a check,” said FNB Fun Committee Chair Jake Hogberg, noting each quarter a recipient is chosen from a non-profit organization within the market area.

FNB’s internal group raised funds through the Denim Day program, which allows employees to wear denim on designated days by making a donation. Previous recipients include Animal Shelter, Caring House, Family Ties, Backpack Blessings, Iron County Cancer Unit and The Cure.

Both departments agreed to keep all donated funds in an account established for the collaborated program, O’Dette said.

Those wishing to contribute to the program can make checks out to the Dickinson Area Working K-9 and contact either the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office or Kingsford Public Safety.

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Terri Castelaz can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 85241, or tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.