Since 2010, The Cayce Public Safety Foundation has been providing supplies and assistance to the Cayce Public Safety Department that are not available through other means. For instance, the foundation has provided over $41,000 to support the K-9 Team. The funding was provided through many wonderful sponsors and donors who have supported events such as the Cayce Serves Tennis Tournament and the Cayce Drives Golf Tournament. One donor, Robert Brandi of Bob Brandi Stations, has been instrumental in supporting the K-9 Team. His contribution came with perfect timing in 2017, which is when the K-9 team was born.
The inaugural member of the team was K-9 Roxie, a bloodhound who has since retired.
K-9 Maverick was the first to pass while on duty and he is forever remembered on the Cayce K-9 Memorial in the new Art Lot on State Street. The memorial was funded through the Central Carolina Community Foundation's Connected Communities Grant and a match from the Cayce Public Safety Foundation. Local business, SWATCH Graphics designed and installed the memorial. SWATCH perfectly depicted K-9 Maverick with their illustration of him on the memorial.
The poem on the back of the memorial exemplifies what the K-9 Team represents:
"You joined our Cayce family.
Training hard every day; to find the lost,
track the fleeing, sniff out harm,
track the dangerous and
protect your fellow Officers.
In the blink of an eye you left us.
You will forever be in our hearts
and in the stories we tell."
The K-9s and their handlers have become an integral part of the Cayce Department of Public Safety and the memorial is just a small way to recognize their efforts and honor their sacrifice. The foundation plans to have an unveiling once schedules get back to normal.