Officer Rocco Fund purchases dog crates for K-9 unit

Military-grade dog crates will keep K-9 officers safe on the job

(PITTSBURGH, PA) October 20, 2015… The K-9 Unit of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is safer and better equipped thanks to the donation of 23 military dog crates funded by the Officer Rocco K-9 Memorial Fund at The Pittsburgh Foundation. The crate purchase was made possible by a special donation to the Fund by business owner, animal lover and philanthropist Scott Noxon of Robinson Township.

Members of the media viewed the new crates and met human and canine members of the force on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the Washington Blvd training facility. K-9 Unit Officers (handlers) demonstrated how the crates are used and explained how the force is now better equipped to serve the people of Pittsburgh as a result of the donation. Scott Noxon was also in attendance, as were representatives of PetSmart, Inc., which made a $5,000 gift to the Officer Rocco Memorial Fund from its PetSmart Gives Back initiative. This is PetSmart’s second annual gift to the fund.

“Previously, handlers would transport K-9 officers in consumer-grade crates, which were far less durable. These crates provide handlers a much safer method for transporting dogs from their homes to the station or directly into the field,” said Sergeant Michael LaPorte of the K-9 Unit.

The Officer Rocco K-9 Memorial Fund was established at The Pittsburgh Foundation on February 6, 2014 after police dog Officer Rocco was killed in the line of duty. Donations ranging from $5 to upwards of $20,000 poured in from across the region. As of September 23, 2015, a total of $121,700.55 from 319 individuals and organizations have been donated to the fund, which exclusively benefits the K-9 Unit.

In December 2014, funds from the Officer Rocco Memorial Fund were used to purchase 13 custom-made body armor vests for K-9 unit dogs. The canine body armor vests have been in use in Pittsburgh since January 2015.

Officer Rocco’s death struck a chord with Noxon, as it did with many animal lovers across the region. Noxon reached out to The Pittsburgh Foundation offering to purchase additional canine body armor, but Foundation staff had heard from the Bureau of Police that crates were a greater need. Noxon responded a $12,000 grant to fund the crates, which were then custom-manufactured for Pittsburgh’s K-9 unit.

“Dogs, especially working dogs, add immeasurably to our lives. I feel very privileged to donate this equipment that will protect police dogs and support their handlers in the line of duty,” said Noxon.

Communication between the K-9 Department and the Foundation staff is open and ongoing. The City of Pittsburgh is designated as the Department of Homeland Security’s leader for a 13-county region, and provides training, service and subject matter expertise to the communities within Region 13.

The Pittsburgh Foundation continues to accept donations to the fund. Contributions may be made online at https://community.pittsburghfoundation.org/rocco or sent to: Officer Rocco K-9 Memorial Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Five PPG Place, Suite 250, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

About the K-9 Unit: Established in 1958, the K-9 unit is a specialty unit within the Bureau of Police. Dogs in the K-9 Unit are primarily used to track suspects and people in danger, and protect their handlers in the field. Canines in the unit receive intensive training in tracking and finding people, and also locate illegal drugs, explosives and other weapons in the line of duty. They are true partners to their human handlers, working side-by-side with them on the job and living with their handler’s family. http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/police/specialty-units

About PetSmart Gives Back: This initiative focuses on giving back to local communities throughout the nation in support of organizations that enrich people’s lives through the power of pets. http://www.petsmartgivesback.com/