Pictured are Union Township trustees and leaders along with Officer Andrew Gosink, third from left, K9 Gunnar, and Purina Factory Manager Mike Ferrito, fourth person from left.
Officer Blankenship, supervisor of School Resource Officers in Clermont County.
Pictured is the delivery of the check from Purina for $14,400; from left to right are Officer Andrew Gosink and his son, K9 Gunnar and Mike Ferrito, Purina factory manager
School Resource Officer S. Siekbert and Giant Schnauzer K9 Nya. Photo provided.
Is a dog man’s best friend? Maybe not so much if you are breaking the law. In the United States, there are approximately 50,000 active K9 police dogs. Highly trained, these dogs are vital members of law enforcement, assisting with tasks such as drug and explosive detection, suspect apprehension, tracking, and locating missing persons
Officer Andrew Gosink and K9 Gunnar graduated April 25 from the Southern Ohio Police K9 training program. Gunnar underwent initial training of several weeks, and once it was established that Officer Gosink and Gunnar had a bond, they trained together for five weeks. The training can last up to 12 weeks. Gunnar is state-certified in narcotics, apprehension, and tracking.
As of April 2025, the Union Township Police Department has four K 9 units. Two others are Havoc with Officer CJ Holden and Rip with Officer Kyle Dwelly. The K9s names alone may engender fear that says, best to stay on the side of the law.
Officer Blankenship is a supervisor of School Resource Officers in Clermont County. He says the fourth K9 is stationed at West Clermont High School. Nya is a Giant Schnauzer weighing about 70 pounds. Gentle and friendly, she is beloved by students and staff alike. She has been trained to detect drugs and trained in tracking. Tracking means the ability to follow a specific scent, to locate a person or object. Tracking is a valuable skill used in locating missing persons, suspects, or evidence. Nya is non-aggressive and has not been trained to bite.
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