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They’ve busted suspects for marijuana possession, stolen cash and purse-snatching.

They’re members of the Holland Police Department but wear no uniforms.

They’re the department’s two canines, Henry and Harrand.

“We view the canines as being such an important asset to patrol activities,” said Sgt. Drew Torres, canine unit supervisor for the Holland police. “To not have them would mean suspects getting away from police, a missing person possibly not getting found and narcotics going undetected.”
But city budget restrictions mean the department has had to seek alternative means of fundraising to equip and train the canines and their handlers.

So for the second year in a row, the department will host a golf outing to raise money for a new dog. This year’s outing will be 9 a.m. June 22 at Macatawa Legends Golf Course.
The department raised $15,000 for the canine unit last year, money that helped fund the addition of Henry to the force. Henry was purchased after Grego retired after seven years of service.
The department’s other dog, Harrand, likely will need to be replaced within the next year, Torres said.

A new dog can cost the department between $10,000 and $13,000, with additional costs for training the handler.

The dogs assist officers in a variety of searches, including narcotics, weapons and missing persons. They also provide protection for officers.

Patrol Capt. Jack Dykstra said the protection is invaluable.

“If we have to go into a dangerous situation and a canine can go in versus an officer going in first, it clearly assists us in keeping officers safe,” Dykstra said.
In 2008, the canine unit assisted Holland police in narcotics searches in which $74,575 worth of drugs were seized.
In February, Grego tracked a purse-snatcher who was hiding from police in a basement crawlspace.
In March, Harrand helped West Michigan Enforcement Team officers confiscate 20 pounds of marijuana from a vehicle.
Those are just a few examples, Torres said, of how the dogs aid police in investigations.
“A dog’s sense of smell is anywhere from 100 to 400 times more sensitive than a human’s,” he said. “It can make the difference between finding something and not finding something.”