Gresham Police Department's Tagg's Dog Days of Summer takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the rear parking lot of Gresham City Hall.
According to the Gresham Police Department, the East Metro K-9 Unit includes Gresham's own K-9 team. Jacky and Officer Berry are a bomb detection team from the Port of Portland.
Canine Partners
Tagg is the department's comfort dog and the event's namesake.
Tagg was donated to Gresham police in December 2019 by Guide Dogs for the Blind after he failed the organization's strict bathroom-break schedule, needing breaks every two to three hours rather than the standard three to four, according to OPB. He was sworn in later that month as the department's comfort dog and now works with his handler in the Behavioral Health Unit and Peer Support Team, assisting crime victims and officers dealing with trauma, per the City of Gresham.
The event relies on a slate of local business sponsors, including Alyson Huntting, Burns Feed Store, Gresham Toyota, Evergreen Pet Supply, Clackamas County Bank, and Alligator Screen Printing.
Community Support for Police Dog Programs
The Gresham Police Department's Comfort Dog Program is funded completely by community donations, and the city provides donation instructions for the K-9 program, according to the city's comfort dog program page.
A 2017 government report cited by Project K-9 Hero puts the average annual cost of basic medical care for a retired working dog at $1,182, not counting major surgeries, emergency treatment, or specialized veterinary care.
Gresham's K-9 unit has a long track record of service. K9 Recon, the department's longest-serving dual-purpose police dog, retired in January 2024 after eight years on the job, credited with more than 140 suspect captures and 500 surrenders. K9 Leni began training and was partnered with Officer Hansen, according to a FlashAlert release.
Chief Gullberg, who was appointed to lead the department in 2021, joined the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office in 1998 and had experience in its K-9 unit before taking the Gresham post, according to the City of Gresham. Dog Days of Summer features Tagg, the department's comfort dog.
