The Sedona Police Department is selling $20 “Mini Sam” plushies of its black Labrador retriever K-9 dog, with the proceeds to be used to support community demonstrations of the K-9 unit and additional training for Sam and his handler, Officer Catherine Beers.

“The most rewarding part about doing the position that I have in a Sedona is that we get to [do] drug arrests, but we get to go to a school and do community [events] and that’s the best mixture for me,” Beers said.

Beers said that preparing for public events with Sam requires significant effort, especially on her days off.

“I got to get into uniform, get Sam ready, because he always needs a bath before we go somewhere, because everybody’s petting him,” Beers said. “An hour event can take three or four hours worth of my day … So it can cost the city a couple hundred bucks every single time that we do [an event]. Which we want to be able to do. Because I don’t want to decline doing [events].”

Beers said that she got the inspiration to sell stuffed animal versions of her dog while training with Prescott Police Department Officer Kyle Alltop, who has been selling plushies of his K-9 Cooper.

The plushies are manufactured by Hero Industries, a company that creates custom replicas of police dogs, as well as custom challenge coins and custom teddy bears that can be branded for different agencies.

Alltop said that he has raised “close to $1,000” over the last two years and said that several other agencies, including Chino Valley and the Arizona Law Enforcement Canine Association, have similar programs.

“It’s a good line of communication with people that are maybe a little standoffish with law enforcement if their kids are interested in the plushies, or even the kids opening up and talking to us,” Alltop said. “I have a friend that bought one, and his kid sleeps with it so it gives them a little peace and security. [It] allows people to always think that law enforcement is out there, and gives a positive interaction.”

“Our goal [as a] team is to get dangerous drugs off the streets,” Beers said. “But at the same time, with Sam being a floppy-eared dog, he is super friendly, and so I can use him for community events. So it’s a nice mix.”

Beers and Sam have been deployed on 38 occasions that resulted in arrests since their certification in October 2023. 

“[The] total narcotic weight amounts [apprehended by the two] are not available due to the deployments that were call-outs outside the city,” SPD Sgt. Christopher Stevens stated. “Those deployments outside the city are documented only with the other agencies. But all have been small personal use amounts and paraphernalia.”

SPD has been selling the plushies since its annual Community Outreach Event on Oct. 5. “I sold 50 or 60 at that event alone; it was a start to get them out there and seen in the community,” Beers said.

“The total annual cost for K-9 Sam is approximately $6,000 to $10,000,” Stevens stated, which is funded by donations, grants and the SPD general fund.

“My goal is to have his dual purpose be tracking and trailing, and that training costs nearly $10,000 andso the money that is in his canine account, that’s what [Sam’s] purpose will be, it will be narcotics number one, and then tracking and trailing for search and rescue,” Beers said.

Beers said that she currently has no plans to introduce an action figure of herself to accompany the Sam plushie.

The “Mini Sams” are available for purchase at the Sedona Police Department at 100 Roadrunner Drive or from Beers directly when the duo are at community events. Donations to the SPD K-9 program can also be made to Beers or at city hall.

“If any of the other schools want a demonstration, they just have to ask,” Beers said.

Beers can be reached at cbeers@sedonaaz.gov.