Murrysville couple funds purchase, training of new police dog

Murrysville Police Sgt. Scott Kettren was not shy about his emotional state when his K-9 partner of nearly a decade, a Belgian Malinois named Argos, spent his last day with the department in May 2019.

“I cried driving home that night,” Kettren said.

Kettren took stock of his professional skills and “I determined quickly that this is where I need to be. This is where I can do the most good for the community, is as a dog handler.”

So the sergeant was pleased to find out that Murrysville residents George and Maxine Thomas agreed last year to fund the purchase and training of a new police dog for the department. In December, Kettren headed back to Shallow Creek Kennel in Sharpsville, where he met a young German shepherd.

“We offered the Thomases a chance to name him, and after a short time they came up with five names,” said Police Chief Tom Seefeld. “They pretty much left it up to Sgt. Kettren, and he went with ‘Magnus,’ which means ‘great one.’”

Officers teamed with a police dog help locate narcotics and track people, and 2-year-old Magnus has shown promise.

“Some of the traits he showed let me know he’d be a good tracking dog,” Kettren said. “And with the time we’ve spent training over the past nine months, it is definitely one of his strong points.”

And while Argos may be retired, he still lives with Kettren, “so there’s also the getting-to-know-you period between two canines happening,” Seefeld said. “He’s a young pup, and the work continues as he develops into a great K-9.”

Kettren said his training may have been tougher than Magnus’.

“When I trained Argos, that was a decade ago,” he said. “My 43-year-old legs let me know they weren’t 33 anymore.”

George Thomas said the donation was the least he and his wife could do as huge supporters of their local department.

“We’re just firm believers in the police, what they do protecting our community,” he said. “We think they’re just invaluable, and we hope (Magnus) does what he has to do to protect Sgt. Kettren and the citizens of Murrysville.”

While the amount of the Thomas’s donation was not disclosed, the cost to purchase and fully train a police dog can be between $12,000 and $20,000, according to Police Magazine.

Seefeld presented the Thomases with a plaque recognizing their donation at Murrysville Council’s Sept. 16 meeting.