K9 Police Officer Hits the Streets Cedar Falls Public Safety is welcoming a new member to the team. Boona, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois, will be Cedar Falls’ first K9 Officer since 2001, and the seventh canine officer in the Police Division’s history. She will be assigned badge #7. “We are looking forward to bringing the K9 program back to Cedar Falls,” said Police Chief Mark Howard. “Having this resource available in our community will allow us to more efficiently conduct investigations including missing person cases, search and rescue, and be a great asset to our drug task force.” Boona’s expertise will be in Search and Rescue, Tracking, Apprehension, and Narcotics Enforcement. The primary objective of the K9 program is drug investigation and tracking in addition to providing educational opportunities to connect with citizens so they can learn more about local policing during outreach events.
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In August, the City Council approved a contract with Tree Town Kennels in Forest City, Iowa, for the formal training for both a Canine and Handler. Cedar Falls Officer Mike Marcotte has been assigned as the handler for Boona. The pair will complete a five-week training course in September with Tree Town Kennels in Forest City, Iowa. Following the course, a swearing-in ceremony will take place in late October and Boona will be an official member of the Cedar Falls Public Safety Department. “As the cases and impact of opioid abuse—particularly fentanyl—have risen nationwide, it has become increasingly important to have our own local K9 unit,” said Chief Howard. “We have been working to include this in the department’s budget for the past few years and are looking forward to the future of the program.” The community can follow Boona’s K9 journey on the Cedar Falls Public Safety Facebook page @CFPublicSafety.