K-9 Otis introduced himself to Lisbon officials at a village council meeting last week, led through the chambers by his new best friend and handler, Patrolman Alan Shaffer.

For Shaffer, working with a police K-9 means there’s one less dream on his bucket list to cross off.

For the village of Lisbon, Chief Mike Abraham said having K-9 Otis will be a huge asset, both in the fight against drugs and for searches in case of missing persons, noting the village has at least three nursing home facilitie and sometimes people walk away.

“I think it’s going to really benefit us in many ways,” he said.

Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham, left, gives a send-off to K-9 Otis and his handler, Patrolman Alan Shaffer, as they leave for training. (Photo provided by Chief Mike Abraham)

The 11-month old Belgian Malinois likely won’t hit the streets of Lisbon until the end of June after completing a six-week training course with Shaffer at VanEss K9 Academy in Canton. K-9 Otis has already received his initial training as a general-purpose police dog for drug detection and tracking.

Originally from Salem, Shaffer moved to Summerville, S.C. when he was a kid and graduated from there, moving back to Ohio for family. Service is in his blood, first as a volunteer firefighter in Perry Township from 2012 to 2016, then when he went to the Kent State University Trumbull campus police academy in 2015. He spent six years as an officer in Leetonia, moving from part-time to full-time and serving as the school resource officer and as a detective. He left for a part-time position with Perry Township Police Department, and then worked as a full-time police officer for Mercy Health in Youngstown.

Someone reached out to him about joining the Lisbon Police Department, which he did in the past year, then he expressed his interest in the K-9 position and now it’s like a dream come true.

Abraham said he supersedes everybody when it comes to traffic stops and drug arrests, so when Shaffer showed an interest in being the K-9 handler, he said it was “no-brainer.”

“When you get a guy who’s passionate enough to do it on his own, I can only imagine what it will be like with the dog,” Abraham said.

After the police academy, Shaffer also joined the Ohio National Guard with the military police. That service will end in 2024.

Never in a million years did he think he would get the opportunity to work with a dog, whom he called man’s best friend, but that time is here.

“I’m more than grateful that it is,” he said.

They’ve been working on obedience training and he’s already noticed little subtleties of how Otis works. They’ve also been working with an e-collar that emits a noise to get the dog’s attention if he’s not doing what he’s supposed to be doing and a static shock if necessary. Shaffer used the collar on his own wrist to try it out and see how it will feel. He’s working with Otis on searches and everything necessary to do his job.

Shaffer said he’s super friendly with people, but asked the public “if you see us working, don’t try to interject yourself.”

He said safety will be the biggest priority. He doesn’t want to see anyone get hurt or for K-9 Otis to get hurt.

The training will continue, too, at least once a week for the duration, after the training course is completed, with training an important component of any K-9 program.

Abraham said the cost for the dog, the training and the specially-equipped K-9 police car totaled $72,000, with at least $18,000 for the cost of the dog and training.

The department raised in excess of $30,000 through donations and from selling T-shirts, hoodies and can coolers. The Lisbon Community Foundation also donated and money is still being raised. Part of the cost came from the police department budget.

Shaffer said he’s very happy with all the support and with his new position as K-9 handler.

“I hope that people continue to support us,” he said.

Abraham said the department will continue to accept donations to fund the K-9 program. BrightPet Nutrition Group in Lisbon is donating Blackwood premium food for the life of the dog and Lisbon Veterinary Clinic on Race Road is donating vet services for the care of the dog.

Abraham said the policies and procedures for the K-9 program are still being working on. K-9 Otis lives with Shaffer and is getting to know Shaffer’s two dogs and cat.

Abraham offered his thanks to everybody who has donated and supported the K-9 program and the department overall.

“To know we have that much support in the community is overwhelming,” he said.

Besides doing his duties, K-9 Otis will be doing some community appearances, too. Photographs from some of his activities will be posted on the department’s social media page.

mgreier@mojonews.com