The Fort Walton Beach Police Department’s K9 unit, consisting of two canines named Bane and Odin, is in the running for a grant opportunity from Aftermath, a provider of trauma cleaning and biohazard remediation. 

• The grant, totaling $15,000, aims to support K9 agencies across the nation. The winner will be determined through a voting system, where the agency with the highest number of votes will claim the coveted prize.

Sheila Mercier, crime scene investigator with the Fort Walton Beach Police Department, took the initiative to enter the department into the Aftermath grant contest. Mercier highlighted that while the grant will not be utilized to introduce an additional K9, it will instead be dedicated to addressing the current needs of the department’s K9s.

“We need equipment. For example, a new bite suit because our bite suit is gone,” she said. “They just need a lot of stuff and food is a big expense.”

Voting can be done through Aftermath’s official website, as well as their Facebook page and Instagram account. Every device is allowed to vote once every 24 hours, so community members can lend their support multiple times leading up to the June 5th deadline.

• To learn more about the Aftermath K9 Grant and show your support for the Fort Walton Beach Police Department’s K9 unit, please visit Aftermath’s official website at https://www.aftermath.com/k9-grant.