BOISE -- The Boise Police Canine Unit put on quite the Christmas dog show Wednesday, featuring furry enforcers in training as as well as veteran police pooches like Blek.

"The dog lives with me, he goes on vacation with the family," said Officer Mike Nance, Blek's handler for the past three years. "He's the friendliest German Shepherd you'll ever meet. When I go to work, he goes to work with me."

But Blek is not the family pet. The German Shepherd from Czechoslovakia is highly trained to sniff out drugs or apprehend suspects, all at the bark of his master's command.

"He's had several apprehensions," said Officer Nance proudly. "He's a very successful, very experienced dog."

The police dog show was part of what the department is calling a historic call for public donations to help support the K-9 unit.

With tax-deductible public donations managed by the Idaho Community Foundation, the BPD hopes to expand its 13-dog K-9 unit beyond what the department's budget can now afford.

The department has created the Boise Police Canine Foundation, a charitable fund that supports the operation of the Boise Police Canine Unit .

The Boise Police Department itself is not allowed to accept donations, though citizens grateful for police services have generously offered to contribute over the years, says Lynn Hightower, police spokesperson.

By partnering with the Idaho Community Foundation, the Boise Police Department can accept contributions toward purchasing new police dogs and supporting its existing dogs.

The ICL will manage fund donations to the Boise Police Canine Foundation, creating efficiency for both the Boise PD and citizens who wish to donate. The ICL also guarantees exposure for the Boise Police Canine Foundation to a wide array of potential donors.

Hightower says the Idaho Community Foundation works with nonprofit organizations throughout the state by gathering funds from individual donors, groups and foundations.

The ICL is able to grow those funds through investments to meet donors charitable objectives, while granting funds for a broad variety of worthwhile and critical projects, like the Boise Police Canine Foundation.

Citizen donations to the Boise Police Canine Foundation will pay for needed improvements and supplies for the canines beyond the department's annual operating budget.

For example, although many of the departments drug and explosive detection dogs are adopted from local animal shelters, the purchase of a dual purpose drug and apprehension patrol dog can cost between $8,000 and $9,000. A training bite suit, that helps maintain the patrol dogs skills while keeping trainers safe costs $1,300.

The Boise Canine Unit presently consists of four drug detection dogs. Two are currently in training, meaning they are not yet certified for street use. One drug detection dog is assigned to the Boise Police Bandit narcotics unit, one to the Neighborhood Contact Officer unit, and two are assigned to patrol. Boise Police drug detection dogs are adopted from our local animal shelters.

Three of the drug detection dogs are labs or lab mixes, the fourth is a German Shepherd, Belgian Malanois mix.

There are also five explosive-sniffing dogs assigned to the Boise Airport but they are often called upon to respond to any location throughout the Treasure Valley. These dogs are purchased with Homeland Security funds. Four of the explosives detection dogs are labs, the fifth is a German Shepherd..

And four patrol dogs are cross trained in drug detection and suspect apprehension. Patrol dogs are purchased at a young age with some basic training. Many police patrol dogs come from Europe, and are sent to American suppliers who then sell the dogs to police agencies.

------
How to Help:

Donations can be made by clicking HERE. Click on donate directly to your favorite fund, and choose Boise Police Canine Foundation.

Donations can also be made by sending a check made out to Boise Police Department Canine Foundation to: ICF at P.O. Box 8143, Boise, ID 83707. Donations are tax deductible and can be made in any amount. Donations made before Dec. 31 can be deducted from 2009 income taxes.