The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office announces that K9 Nichols received a GPS tracking collar that was generously donated by an acquaintance of the late William "Bill" Nichols' brother, Jim. The Garmin Astro 430 will help his handler Tim Pence monitor and document his moves while answering calls. The collar is designed to keep K9 Nichols safe by analyzing the dog's tracking patterns and behaviors. It will also provide real time locations and give Deputy Pence the ability to track K9 Nichols up to 9 miles should they get separated.
The collar was donated by Larry and Sue Speiser of Hamburg in February. Mr. Speiser contacted Bernard Pitass, a retired state trooper who is a friend of the Nichols family. K9 Nichols is named after the late Undersheriff William "Bill" Nichols who passed away in 2015 after a lengthy battle with leukemia, ending his 30 year career in law enforcement with Cattaraugus County. Jim Nichols contacted Sheriff Whitcomb to advise him that Mr. and Mrs. Speiser wanted to make a donation to help keep K9 Nichols safe. When asked what K9 Nichols could use, Deputy Tim Pence responded, "We already have a bullet proof vest on the way from another generous donor. So a GPS collar would be another great tool to assist us in running a successful K9 program. We are extremely grateful for this donation as well."

(Shown in the picture: From left: Retired Trooper Bernie Pitass, Deputy Tim Pence, K9 Nichols, Donor Larry Speiser and Sheriff Tim Whitcomb)