Eric Mata ? an officer with the Arkansas City Police Dept. – will be the department’s new K-9 handler, chief Sean Wallace announced Friday.
Mata is expected to attend the Kansas Highway Patrol’s K-9 training course in March. Wallace expects the police department to acquire a dog by February so that Mata can take part in that training.
The new K-9 unit should become active by May of next year. Ark City, Winfield and the Cowley County Sheriff’s Dept. are all pursuing plans to launch such a unit.
Mata was chosen for the position because his work ethic and work quality are excellent, Wallace said.
