Saxonburg Police Department loses K-9 officer, handler
The Saxonburg Police Department is waving goodbye to its K-9 Bolt, and his handler less than a year after they were welcomed onto the force.
At a special meeting held April 25, the Saxonburg borough council approved the resignation of K-9 handler officer Mark Heider. His K-9, Bolt — a German shepherd trained to detect narcotics by smell — will leave the department with him.
Both Heider and Bolt were sworn into the Saxonburg Police department in July 2024, after having left the Middlesex Police Department.
Heider’s landing place is currently unknown, with borough manager Steven May only saying that he and Bolt had moved onto “greener pastures.”
While Bolt was on the force, the 501(c)3 nonprofit Friends of Saxonburg Police raised funds for his care, training and equipment.
“The funds raised by FSPD to support the K-9 are frozen, and our legal counsel is researching the matter,” said Saxonburg borough Mayor William Gillespie.
The borough had no comment on whether there was a plan to replace Bolt with another K-9 in the future.
