Adding a police dog and new heart defibrillators to the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office can only mean better and more effective crime-fighting and protection from county deputies. It’s a product of a sour budget climate that the department must seek donations to get them.

The city of Albert Lea’s police department has a K-9 unit already, and it’s been a success. But the majority of the land area of the county is covered by the sheriff’s office, and although deputies can borrow the city’s dog sometimes, it’s not always available. It makes sense for the county to get its own dog, given its potential for many uses from tracking suspects to sniffing out drugs. We hope the county’s effort to raise $10,000 to get the K-9 unit is successful.

It’s a similar story with defibrillators. They are a proven way to save lives when people are in cardiac arrest, and there’s no good reason why the best technology shouldn’t be in every sheriff’s office and police department vehicle &045; except, of course, funding. The departments will need to raise around $2,000 for each of the units.

Going straight to the public for these items is doing it the hard way, but the idea shows the ability to work around budget constraints, a necessary skill. If the police and sheriff’s departments can improve themselves this way even without financial help from the county and city government, Freeborn County will be a safer place.