Perkins Township Police are gearing up for their annual K9 fundraiser on Saturday, September 12, running from 3 to 7 pm at Strickfaden Park, with a lineup that includes a Metro Life Flight helicopter landing, a canine demonstration, raffles, and a Home Depot kids' workshop. The event, funded entirely through community support, exists for one reason: the department's K9 program runs on private donations, not tax dollars.
That funding model was detailed in the original event announcement from the Perkins Township Police Department, which noted that all proceeds from the fundraiser go directly to the K9 program. It's a structure the department has leaned on for years, since local law enforcement relies entirely on citizen contributions and business sponsorships to cover dog purchases, food, veterinary care, and specialized gear, according to a Facebook post from Perkins Twp. Police K9 Units.
The current face of that program is K-9 Tenda, who is partnered with handler Officer Ryan McDermott. Tenda joined active patrol duty after Officer McDermott completed seven weeks of training at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Canine Academy, and the pair now split their time between tactical patrol work and public appearances at local events and schools.
What's on the Menu and the Agenda
Hungry attendees can grab a BBQ dinner from Snootie's BBQ for $15, with meal tickets covering the entree, chips, a drink, and dessert from House of Donuts. Tickets can be purchased at the event or picked up in advance at the Perkins Township Police Department. Beyond the food, families can expect the Home Depot kids' workshop, a canine demonstration, raffles, and the marquee attraction: a Metro Life Flight landing.
The September event is backed by a roster of local sponsors, including Sam's Club, Great Wolf Lodge, Snootie's BBQ, House of Donuts, Foster Chevrolet, and Home Depot, according to a Facebook post from the Perkins Township Police Department. The original event flyer also lists The Chevy Network and Foster Chevrolet, Loris Printing, House of Donuts, and Snootie's BBQ as sponsors covering raffle prizes and event services.
A Program Built on Community Giving
Strickfaden Park, the fundraiser's home at 318 Bell Avenue, is a 28-acre township facility with a community pavilion and a 1.25-mile paved walking trail connecting nearby neighborhoods. Roughly half of Perkins Township's 12,000 residents live within a mile of the park, making it a natural gathering point for a department event aimed at drawing a crowd.
The department's reliance on donated funding isn't new. In February 2020, Perkins Township trustees accepted an anonymous $54,000 gift — the largest single donation in the police department's history — earmarked specifically for acquiring and equipping a second K9, according to the Sandusky Register. That kind of major private giving has historically supplemented the department's annual public fundraisers to expand its canine capabilities.
The stakes of maintaining a K9 unit were made painfully clear in December 2016, when K-9 Uganda died from surgical complications following a medical emergency after serving the township since 2011 in drug enforcement and search operations. Uganda was later inducted into the Ohio Peace Officers' Memorial for her service, a legacy that still informs how seriously the department treats funding for its current dog.
Policing a High-Traffic Retail Corridor
The K9 unit's work takes place against a backdrop of elevated property crime tied to the township's commercial density. Perkins Township records an estimated property theft rate of 2,609.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, exceeding the national average of 2,042.8, driven largely by retail corridors along U.S. Route 250 and Milan Road, as previously reported by Hoodline. Major shopping hubs like Sandusky Mall concentrate much of that commercial activity and the property crime calls that come with it.
As of 2025, the department employs 25 full-time sworn officers and command staff across divisions that include patrol, detectives, school resource officers, and two K9 officer slots, per the Sandusky Register. The agency, now led by Chief Jeff Musser, who took over in February 2023 after the sudden death of former chief Vince Donald the previous September, serves both year-round residents and a heavy seasonal flow of retail and tourism visitors.
Technology has supplemented the department's canine work in recent years. In September 2023, Perkins Township trustees approved a $66,000 contract for 15 automated license plate reader cameras from Flock Safety, installed along Hayes Avenue, Milan Road, and Perkins Avenue to help track stolen vehicles and assist investigations. Even with that tech investment, community-funded assets like K-9 Tenda remain central to both daily enforcement and the department's public-facing outreach — outreach that will be on full display again when the Life Flight helicopter touches down at Strickfaden Park next month.
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