A nonprofit called K9s For Cops has purchased its 25th dog for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The woman who has lead the group since it started in 2011 has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the effort.
It’s no big surprise that Michelle Robare ended up leading K9s for Cops — she loves dogs and law enforcement.
“Oh my goodness, I have had dogs my entire life,” she said. “Right now we have four. I think we have had as many as six at one time.”
K9s for Cops has an annual fundraiser called An Evening With the Stars, where much of the group’s money is raised. Each year, a number of deputies and the K9s purchased by the group attend the event. Many of the contributors are residents and employees at The Estates at Carpenters in Lakeland.
Robare says she sometimes attends training sessions for the Sheriff’s Office K9 teams.
“I love it,” she said. “Any time I get to come out and spend time with the dogs and the handlers, it’s the best time of the year for me.”
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the sheriff’s office could afford to purchase its own K9s, but K9s For Cops saves taxpayers a lot of money.
“Michelle Robare is our hero,” Judd said. “She cares for our canine program as much as we do.”
And he also says having an organization supporting the K9 units lets the deputies know the community is supporting them.
“We always say the canine deputy and his canine is the tip of the spear,” he said. “They are the first in.”