Arizona sheriff’s office cuts ties with K-9 foundation over concerns about transparency

The Mohave County Sheriff’s Office has severed its partnership with an independent nonprofit established to support the agency’s K-9 unit, citing ongoing issues with financial transparency and accountability.

The department announced the decision after the Mohave County Sheriff’s K-9 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2017, declined to provide financial records and refused to turn over donor-contributed funds designated for the police dogs, according to a press release.

Sheriff’s officials said changes in the foundation’s leadership and membership in recent years led to operational friction and a lack of openness regarding how donations were being spent.

“Without transparency and accountability, we could not ensure that donated funds were being handled in a manner consistent with the expectations of the citizens and organizations who generously supported this effort,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

According to MCSO, the agency requested that the foundation either restore financial transparency or transfer the existing funds raised specifically for the department’s K-9 program. The foundation declined the request and advised officials that the money under its control will instead be directed elsewhere.

In response, the sheriff’s office is partnering with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to explore legal remedies and protect donor intent.

The foundation was originally created by a group of local citizens to raise money for acquiring, training and caring for police dogs and handlers in Northwestern Arizona. While acknowledging the foundation’s early contributions to public safety, sheriff’s officials emphasized that protecting program integrity and honoring donor intentions drove the decision to split.

MCSO noted that daily K-9 operations, including drug detection, tracking and deputy protection, will continue unaffected.

Community members, local businesses and organizations looking to support the police dog program can now make donations directly to the sheriff’s office.

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