Retired Ohio police officer gets to buy K-9 partner for $1

According to OH law, though, a police dog must be treated as city property and sold at auction if its handler leaves the force and another handler is not available.

Ajax and Hickey worked together for four years, and the police officer was not ready to say goodbye to Ajax without a fight.

Matthew Hickey retired from the Marietta Police Department last month due to an injury.

Retired Marietta Police Officer Matt Hickey will get to keep his K9 partner, Ajax.

Hickey says he plans to bid on the dog.

The police chief, council members and other city officials who were touched by Hickey’s plight asked the law director to research the matter further.

Officers are only allowed to keep their police dogs if the dog itself is going to retire, in which case the officer can purchase the dog for $1.

Officials announced the decision at Thursday night’s city council meeting, saying that a section of the law allows Hickey to keep the dog because the two are a “unit” and with Hickey’s retirement, the unit will disband, allowing him to keep the dog. Hickey said he would consider the offer. So, the city came up with another option: If Hickey continues with the police department as an unpaid auxiliary officer, he could eventually adopt the dog once Ajax reached retirement age.

But while the 30-year veteran of the force earned his retirement, Ajax still has some years left to work.

Meanwhile, an online campaign has raised more than $70,000 for Hickey to buy the dog. “I’m so thankful and relieved”, Hickey told the news station.

And, in something of a nice bow to the story, one state representative has already introduced legislation that he hopes will ensure that what Hickey went through won’t happen again.

All of those funds will be donated to Vested Interest in K9’s Inc., which provides protective gear for canine officers.

‘Officers and their dogs spend every day together, risking their lives to protect our communities, ‘ Gentile said in a statement Tuesday.

All the while, money is still pouring in for the GoFundMe campaign. Ajax is living in his home for now.