Crime & Safety
Cedar Lake, IN Police: Holiday Donations Sought for K9 Johnny
Cedar Lake, IN – Cedar Lake police are asking residents to support K9 Johnny during the upcoming holiday season while emphasizing an important point for anyone who receives a fundraising letter in the
By Grant Holloway · 2026-10-02T17:25:52.097Z
Cedar Lake, IN – Cedar Lake police are asking residents to support K9 Johnny during the upcoming holiday season while emphasizing an important point for anyone who receives a fundraising letter in the mail: the donation request is legitimate and not a scam.
According to the Cedar Lake Police Department , the agency is mailing letters seeking community donations for its K9 program as the holiday season approaches.
Johnny is a dual purpose police K9 trained in patrol and narcotics detection. Working alongside handler Officer Benjamin “Ben” Tomko, Johnny assists with searches, tracking, locating evidence, narcotics detection and other law enforcement operations.
Police said maintaining a working K9 requires ongoing expenses, including specialized food, veterinary care, medication, training, equipment, transportation and protective gear. Department records also indicate Johnny needs regular monthly training to maintain required skills and certifications.
Donations collected through the campaign will directly support Johnny and the Cedar Lake Police Department K9 program, according to the department.
Police said there is no minimum contribution, citing possible donations of $25, $50, $100 or $500 while noting that residents can give another amount.
Anyone wishing to donate by check should make it payable to the Cedar Lake Police Department and write “K9 donation” or “K9 fund” in the memo line.
Donations can be mailed to:
Cedar Lake Police Department
P.O. Box 305
Cedar Lake, IN 46303
The department said community support helps keep Johnny healthy, trained and ready to work alongside Cedar Lake officers.