The community will have chances to meet with K9 Officer Mimi next week, one in Warren and another in Mimi’s hometown of Youngsville.

Officer Mimi, a new addition to the Youngsville Police Department, will be walking her new beat next week.

Mimi and Youngsville Police Officer Mitch Labesky will visit the Warren Public Library on Tuesday, July 28, at 1 p.m. Children and their families are invited to come meet Mimi and Labesky who will discuss the important duties Officer Mimi carries out for the police department. Online registration is required due to limited seating. Visit www.warrenlibrary.org to register.

In addition, another chance to meet Mimi and police officers will be hosted at the Youngsville Dairy Queen on Thursday, July 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event is held in conjunction with the DQ annual Children’s Miracle Network Treat Day and all sales of DQ Blizzards during the event will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.

Dairy Queen is located at 28670 Route 6, Youngsville.

Mimi, a German short-haired pointer, is the county’s newest K-9 officer after the Warren County Canine Board, along with the Youngsville Borough Council and Youngsville Police Department decided to extend the K-9 program in Youngsville for the first time.

Mimi will be able to assist surrounding agencies and counties. German shirt-haired pointers are known for intelligence, athleticism and affectionate nature. Trained and certified in narcotics detection and tracking, Mimi will be able to assist surrounding agencies and counties. Stationed in Youngsville, the young pointer has already helped with many cases in Youngsville as well as the Warren County Drug Task Force.

Youngsville was chosen in part due to its central location in the county but also because the department was ready to take on the task thanks to Officer Mitch Labesky. Already proactive in the drug task force, Labesky also became a certified K-9 handler. Labesky underwent 200 hours of training before becoming certified by Shallow Creek Kennels. Labesky said the breed is what he had in mind and Mimi has been trained as a working dog since a pup before reaching the U.S. from Hungary.

Community donations, taxpayer contributions and grants have all made it possible for Badge 409 Officer Mimi to be an all-county asset. Support has been received from the Community Foundation of Warren County, the K9 board, Sheriff Scott Neiswonger, Chief Todd Mineweaser, and many others.

When asked what Mimi’s life is like at home when she’s not “on the clock” working, Labesky told the Times Observer earlier this year, “As much as she seems like a pet, she is a working dog, so her diet is pretty strict. Because if we get called out, she has to be able to go out and do her job. So we gotta make sure she stays in shape. She can’t get overweight.”

Mimi will also begin making appearances at local events and outreach programs along with meeting public safety across the county.

“She actively is working and trying to make the community a safer, safer place,” Labesky said.