The North Gratiot Cruise raised thousands of dollars for two police K-9 units.

Cruise officials presented checks to township police for $7,500 and the Macomb County Sheriff's Office for $2,500 at the Monday night Board of Trustees meeting.

Township police Lt. Charles Verschaeve and Sheriff Tony Wickersham accepted oversized checks, with a county K-9 cop and handler present. 

However, the cruise committee will actually hold onto the money raised for Chesterfield police, rolling it into a savings account for the K-9 unit along with future cruise donations, Verschaeve said after the meeting.

That move follows township police and officials financial decision not to replace the last dog when he retires in the near future. However, the township could keep the unit if enough cruise donations are raised to support it over time. And, if the police millage passes next month, the K-9 unit could be maintained with additional tax revenues, he said.

Unlike township police, the Sheriff's Office will have money in hand from the cruise donations for immediate use, he said.

In early 2011, Chaos, a German Shepherd trained detecting explosives, died after several years on the township force. Longtime police dog Bulzi, a German Shepherd trained in narcotic detection, is the sole remaining canine in Chesterfield.