City PD losing K-9 officer
The Decatur Police Department is losing another officer. This time it’s a K-9 officer.
Arko, who has only been with the city force for about a year, has developed a joint disease which has led to both his back legs being crippled. It means the dog must be retired.
Arko’s handler, officer Blaze Brooks, explained the situation to Decatur Board of Works and Safety at its meeting Tuesday night.
Brooks said the dog has ligament damage in a knee in one back leg and that has helped bring damage to the knee of the other back leg. “He’s in pain, totally unstable,” Brooks told the board.
Veterinarians who have looked over the dog agree he must be retired.
The board approved having the worst knee repaired at Red Barn in Decatur at a cost of $2,220 – which will come from the department’s dog maintenance fund.
One good aspect of the situation is that the K-9 is still under two-year warranty. Originally from the Czech Republic, Arko came to the department last January and is about three years old.
The city PD’s other K-9, Ivar, joined the department in February of 2018, and is with officer Corey Hamm.
A new group of dogs will be coming to Allen County in February, so Brooks will be able to select one at that time. In March, a 16-week training class will begin there, with Brooks and his new dog expected to attend.
Brooks is going to attempt to keep the dog with his family at home, even though he has another dog and will be getting the new K-9 later this year. He wants to make the attempt, however, because if the dog is sent back to where it came from “they will have no use for him,” the officer explained. So that would mean ...
He said he has looked into an organization that takes retired police dogs. “But I’m not going to allow him to be adopted by any civilians,” Brooks said. The dog is, of course, trained to be aggressive and respond only to his handler.
So for the time being Arko is going into retirement … and at home!