(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

The Beaver Falls Police Department had a historic night at the October 25 City Council Meeting.

The evening started off with the introduction of a new K-9 officer to the BFPD staff, a young 17-month-old Czechoslovakian German Shepherd named Figo (pronounced fee-go). “He was imported over to the United States in July,” said Officer Wetter, who will be Figo’s partner and caretaker. “We took possession of him at the end of July, where we started to build some type of rapport amongst each other before going into school together.”

Officer Wetter trained with Figo at a training facility in Central Pennsylvania for six weeks, and were certified through the North American Police Work Dog Association to work as a K-9 team. Figo did a demonstration where he sniffed out and found a band-aid “with the odor of meth” on it, placed before the meeting by Officer Wetter. The K-9 unit was given several rounds of applause by the council and citizens in attendance.

Police Chief David Johnson also formally requested the approval to hire Christina Good to its staff. “I have been an officer for six years going on seven, I worked in the schools, I have my graduate degree,” Good spoke as she introduced herself to the council. She had previously served with Washington Township and the Southwest Regional Department of Fayette County. “I’m excited to get to know the community and especially our youth,” she added.

“I am confident in saying that she’d be very qualified to be an officer for the city of Beaver Falls,” spoke Chief Johnson, “and I would appreciate if you would approve that.” The Council did approve the hire, exuberantly and unanimously, and–once sworn in–Good would become the first woman of color to be on the police force (and only the second woman following the swearing in of Sierra Higby earlier in the year).

The city also approved General Fund Expenditures of $320,431.26, and learned from DPW director Patrick Burdine that street sweeping in the city will conclude on Friday, October 28.