The Difference Makers Are Here Adopt-A-Cop – A Bold Step

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250 – April, 2022

By Dr. Carmen Battaglia

Records dating back to the 1600s show that support for local law enforcement agencies has come from many sources. The talents of private agencies and individuals have helped to produce many of the advancements we see in modern crime prevention today. From the earliest days of law enforcement, canines were used as a working partner of police officers in the field. These officer-dog teams distinguished themselves in search and rescue efforts, cadaver searches, apprehensions and the discovery of illegal substances. It was the canine’s loyalty and their keen sense of smell and willingness to work day and night that proved to be a valuable asset needed in the fight against crime. Today their involvement has been universally accepted as one of the best tools that police have to help protect rural and urban communities.

In 1998 a notable effort to support police organizations began with a program called “Adopt-a-Cop”. It was initiated by Chaplain Sgt. Ken Rochell of the Michigan State Police. He envisioned it as a ministry to serve as a bridge between local churches and their local law enforcement agencies. Adopt-a-Cop BJJ is a non-profit, donation-based program and is registered as a 501(c)3 organization that allows active duty patrolling police officers to train at Adopt-a-Cop BJJ-affiliated academies. It pays for 100% of the officer’s membership until they reach the rank of Blue belt, which is the second-ranked belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. On average it takes around 12 to 18 months to obtain.

Over the years, support for local police has grown, but much of it has gone unnoticed. In 2002 the American Kennel Club’s Reunite organization, the largest non-profit pet microchip identification and recovery service provider in the United States, began a grant program aimed at helping search and rescue organizations with their training costs. Later AKC Board member Chris Sweetwood led the way to get Reunite involved with an “Adopt-a-Cop” program in Raleigh, NC. In 2013, Reunite launched its own version of “Adopt-a-Cop”, which was a program aimed at supporting police departments around the country with grants for up to $7,500 through their Canine Support and Relief fund. “Adopt-a-Cop” grants are matched (three–to-one) with funds from AKC Clubs, AKC affiliate organizations and the public ($7,500 from AKC and $2,500 from clubs) for a total grant of $10,000. The “Adopt-a-Cop” grants are used by police departments to purchase patrol and detection dogs that are used to apprehend criminals, locate narcotics, explosives and illegal evidence.

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250 – April, 2022

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Posted by AnthonyA on Apr 19 2022. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.