Police dog, Diesel, gets his badge

Dylan Prather, Sheriff Matt Myers and Deputy Matt Bush with police dog Diesel at Monday morning's Bartholomew County Commissioners meeting.
Dylan Prather, Sheriff Matt Myers and Deputy Matt Bush with police dog Diesel at Monday morning’s Bartholomew County Commissioners meeting. Photo by John Clark

Diesel, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department’s newest police dog, got his badge at yesterday morning’s County Commissioners meeting.

Diesel has been working the streets with his trainer, Deputy Matt Bush, since they completed their six-week training program together in October. Diesel finished at the top of his class at tracking and drug detection, Bush said. Bush said his four-legged partner is nearly 100 pounds and has been trained to receive his commands in Dutch.

Dylan Prather, a Bartholomew County dispatcher, took up the duty of raising money for the new police dog, as he did for the Columbus Police Department when he was a high school senior. Real World Testing, a testing company for engines, donated $18,000 for Diesel’s purchase and training. The company also picked Diesel’s name.

New police dog Diesel received his badge at today's Bartholomew County Commissioners. meeting. With Deputy Matt Bush, Dylan M. Prather and April Gray, from Real World Testing. Prather raised $18,000 for the purchase of the dog with Real World Testing providing the majority of the money.
New police dog Diesel received his badge at today’s Bartholomew County Commissioners. meeting. With Deputy Matt Bush, Dylan M. Prather and April Gray, from Real World Testing. Prather raised $18,000 for the purchase of the dog with Real World Testing providing the money. Photo by John Clark