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Pots of chili will be simmering, kids can bond with dogs like Wiskey and Hazel and silent auction items will be hauled home by their winners — all on an afternoon meant to bring community together in support of the K-9s who help keep us safe.

Then event is the Blount County K-9 Association’s eighth annual Chili Cookoff, set for 2 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18 at Tri-Hop Brewery in Maryville. Attendees will get the opportunity to sample each pot of chili and vote for their favorite, with 18 to 20 selections. Officers with Blount County Sheriff’s Office, Alcoa Police Department and Maryville Police Department will be on hand with their K-9 partners. And when the day is done, money raised will go to provide care and comfort to the K-9s in retirement after years of dedicated service.

Dr. Morgan Detweiler at Townsend Animal Clinic, is the veterinarian who cares for the retired German shepherds, Belgian malinois, German shorthair pointers and bloodhounds these three law enforcement agencies deploy into this county for duties like apprehension, tracking and narcotics detection. The dogs become the responsibility of their officers/handlers once the dogs retire. That includes any financial obligations, including veterinary care.

The Blount County K-9 Association, a nonprofit, was set up years ago to help the officers with those medial bills and routine car for the dogs once they are no longer working.

Lt. Ryan Moore with APD, has been the recipient of that support. His dog, Iza, had to retire early due to a cancer diagnosis; it was the Blount County K-9 Association that helped him with mounting medical bills as Iza faced numerous treatments and surgery. She passed away two years ago. Moore was the handler for Unar after that, but got promoted and is no longer a handler. He now oversees the program.

“Having a dog that retired with a lot of medical expenses dealing with cancer treatments, specialized diet and multiple surgeries was a financial strain,” Moore said. “For me to have a resource like the Blount County K-9 Association —it helped take off some of that stress of having to figure out how I can take care of her personally, financially. Dr. Morgan was fantastic. She did everything she could to try to give Iza the best life she could have after retirement.”

So far, Detweiler’s efforts with this annual event have raised more than $100,000 for the Blount County K-9 Association. She said that first year was amazing, as doors were packed. The event had to be relocated outside, under tents and with heaters for comfort. “The weather doesn’t seem to affect it,” she said.

Each year, a few things get tweaked. There is a VIP area this time. A punch board for prizes was implemented last year. Chili makers continue to come back for the challenge, this organizer said.

BCSO Officer Justin Summers has been a handler for nine years, with Wiskey at his side. Wiskey is set to retire in the next few months. He said having Detweiler on their side is such a positive. Her expertise and also leading this fundraiser means a lot to the officers caring for retired dogs.

APD Officer Johnny Meyers has been teamed up with Ozzy since January 2023. Ozzy is a Belgian malinois who is used for tracking, apprehension and narcotics detection. He said the K9s are an important tool for law enforcement but also a great way to start conversations in the community. “When I go to an apartment complex with a lot of kids, they want to play with the dog,” he said. “That is s good talking point. I can educate people on K-9 police work.”

Sgt. Gary Perkins with BSCO is the handler for Hazel, one of only two bloodhounds in service to local law enforcement. She’s been on the force for two years, helping track missing people. Perkins said MPD gets calls from Loudon and Monroe counties when they require tracking assistance.

He’s been part of the K-9 program for 20 years and cared for retired dogs over the years, which means he’s also been on the receiving end of aid from Blount County K-9 Association. “”What Morgan has done to help us grow this has been phenomenal,” he said. “Without her, I don’t know that we would have gotten to the size we are now.”

While K-9s do their part on the streets, Skip Kindig has Veki, a German shorthair pointer whose duties are inside the Blount County Jail, searching for contraband. Kindig said he and Veki search the premies six to seven times daily. “We are keeping stuff out of there,” he said. “We don’t have an issue with a lot of contraband.”

MPD officer Jordan Isbell with Belgian malinois Euncie by his side and William Ferguson with German shepherd Glory always at the ready, have always been dog lovers. Both said the K-9s are fearless, dependable partners. Glory has been trained in electronic detection for child pornography. Glory can sniff out the glue used in certain electronic devices.

The other BCSO bloodhound handler is Allen Russell. Sadie is the fourth bloodhound he’s been teamed up with; he’s worked alongside six dogs. He said law enforcement here is fortunate to have Blount County K-9 Association and its support. Others aren’t so lucky. “This covers all handlers in Blount County,” he said. “It’s unique to our county.”

He also praised the efforts of Detweiler and her passion for animals. “She tolerates us,” he said, “but she loves the dogs.”