After the community banded together to raise funds, the Magnolia Police Department is welcoming its second police K-9, Rocky, to the force.

"Words cannot describe the lives that [Rocky] could save," said Scott Collins, K-9 officer for the Magnolia Police Department. "If we track one lost kid and we find that kid and he comes home safely, the dog [has] paid for himself.

Several local businesses donated funds and services to purchase and support Rocky. Denny's donated $2,500 to purchase the dog from a police officer in south Texas, and Tri-County K-9 Academy has pitched in to provide dog training. Rocky's medical care is provided by Shady Brook Animal Hospital, My Pet Groomer is offering free grooming for the dog and Tractor Supply Co. provides his food.

In addition, Enchanted Florist, Six Shooter Junction, La Magnolia Trattoria Italiana, the Texas Renaissance Festival and Prosperity Bank donated an estimated $1,600 to fund Rocky's required service equipment.

Collins said Rocky, who turns 1 on Sept. 18, is known as a green dog—meaning he has no previous K-9 training. To prepare Rocky to become a certified police dog, Collins said he has been training Rocky since Aug. 7 with five to six sessions each day during the week.

Collins will train Rocky in three phases—phase 1 is narcotics, phase 2 is patrol and tracking and phase 3 is obedience. Collins said he hopes to complete phase 1 by mid-October and have Rocky fully certified in all phases by Jan. 1, 2015.

"This is the cheapest employee the police department has," Collins said. "He doesn't take a salary, he doesn't cost any money, he doesn't get any overtime and he doesn't get pay raises. He is effectively, in some instances, the same as having two officers on the street."

Through the donations of local businesses, Collins said the police department saved an estimated $25,000 that would typically be needed to purchase and train a police dog.

"The average police canine fully trained, if we were to buy from a vendor, would average $15,000 plus my handler school, expenses and hotels for three to six weeks," Collins said.

Collins previously worked for the Montgomery County Precinct 5 Constable's Office and conducted random drug searches at Magnolia ISD schools with a black and white English springer spaniel named Follin. After deciding to part ways with Follin, Collins was in need of a new police dog as he enrolled in K-9 training classes in Dallas early this past summer. In June, Tri-County K9 Academy approached the Magnolia Area Chamber of Commerce to find business members who were interested in sponsoring Rocky for the police department.

Collins said he is thankful to everyone who helped bring Rocky to Magnolia because he will significantly increase safety for officers and residents in the community.

"If there's a burglar in a large warehouse, [Rocky will] be able to find him where we can't see him," Collins said. "He just has so many tools that we don't have."