Hickey saw Ajax as family, like one of his own children.
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Matthew Hickey and his beloved Ajax.
There’s a cop in Marietta, Ohio named Matthew Hickey, and he retired last week after 34 years on the force.
The Marietta Police Department and Hickey managed to work out a resolution. Monday, the City of Marietta made an announcement.
Hickey has been appointed as an auxiliary officer, allowing him to keep Ajax. Hupp calls the move “a win-win for everyone”, but says it was in the works since Thursday, when Hickey told the media he feared losing his dog.
“I got upset when they were gonna come and take my dog away”, he said. Hickey said any money left over after the auction will be donated to a K-9 charity that buys bulletproof vests for dogs.
“Each time former officer Hickey was interviewed by various media sources, he had an opportunity to tell the truth and diffuse the situation and to explain that the city he served was not composed of or lead by cold, heartless and greedy people”, the post on the city’s Facebook page reads.
Here’s what Marietta Police Chief Rodney Hupp said to a packed council room Monday in the city’s Armory Building.
“As stated in the press conference the offer of an auxiliary officer had been considered, but has not and cannot be offered because it has to be approved before it can be offered”, Orr said in a GoFundMe page post. As of Monday afternoon, the Columbus Dispatch reported that Hickey had raised $65,000 to buy Ajax on gofundme.com.
“I am prepared to do everything I can so that dog, which I know you love, stays with you”, Hupp said during the news conference. “I will probably go to the auxiliary”, said Hickey.
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OH law permits officers to buy their dogs, but only if the dog is older or has been injured in the line of duty.
