Rice Township’s K-9 Maverick was officially sworn in as a police officer by Magisterial District Judge Ferris Webby at the Dec. 5 meeting of township supervisors.
Prior to the ceremony, Webby pointed out the Mountain Top area is fortunate to have a canine available to assist police departments throughout the area. He congratulated township officials and the police department for its foresight and efforts to establish the program.
Officer Brian Stout, Maverick’s handler, thanked supervisors for giving the department approval to create the K-9 program and the community for its support. He noted just one year after the department began its fundraising, which raised over $60,000, he and Maverick graduated from their extensive training program. Stout pointed out in the two weeks that Maverick has been on patrol, he has been utilized four times, including a sweep of Crestwood High School.
