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The two K-9 officers on the Oakboro Police Department staff continue to earn their keep.

After winning a grant last year which kicked off the town’s Christmas toy drive, K-9 officers Joker and Bane recently earned a $2,500 prize from Aftermath Cares.

The nationwide program states on its Facebook page it gave away more than $23,000, including four $250 second-place awards and 36 honorable mention awards at $250 each.

Oakboro won the grant as the Tier 1 grand prize winner. Other winners of similar prizes included Wood County Sheriff’s Office in West Virginia, Cools County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon and the Aurora (Illinois) Police Department.

Joker, having recently won $1,000 from Blue Line Unlimited, was part of a grass-roots effort by Oakboro Police to add K-9 officers to the squad. Joker and Bane were both added to the squad with money raised in the community.