New System Protects Harford County K-9s From Heat

BEL AIR, MD — As the summer approaches, the Harford County Sheriff's Office received a gift for its K-9s that will keep them cool in the heat and help protect their handlers, officials say. Called "K-9 Pop and Lock," the automatic system that goes in police vehicles was donated through Louis and Marion Storm, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office.

The Storms joined law enforcement and transportation safety officials in Bel Air on Thursday, June 6, to demonstrate the tool at a press conference.

Cpl. John Seilback and K-9 Diogi were on hand to showcase the system.

"It is a heat alarm," Seilback explained. If the car starts to overheat while the dog is inside, the windows near the dog will lower, a fan will kick on, and the horn will sound.

"It also has a system that is hardwired into the door of the car so if I am ever out of the car and I need to get the dog to come to me to help me out, I can hit a button," Seilback said. "I carry a remote on my gear, [and] I hit the button."

Seilback said he's had the opportunity to use the tool three times, which he called a "great resource." He demonstrated how the button works, and out came Diogi.

Each "K-9 Pop and Lock" system costs $1,400, so the donation was $2,800, according to Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, who thanked the storms for their generosity.

"It keeps our dogs safe, and it also keeps our handlers safe." Gahler said.

The Storm couple has a soft spot for German shepherds, of which they had several before moving into Brightview, a senior living center in Bel Air where dogs must be under 25 pounds, according to The Aegis. Louis Storm told The Aegis he was motivated to donate to the Harford Sheriff Foundation because he "just wanted to do anything I could to help the dogs" in the K-9 unit.

There are multiple K-9 vehicles in the sheriff's office, all of which are already equipped with the technology, according to Harford County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Cristie Hopkins.

The donated systems will go into new vehicles that are getting ready to come into the fleet, she said.