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New police dog to patrol city by summer
(by Sue Reid - February 17, 2010)
New police dog to patrol city by summer
By SUE REID
There will be a special addition to this summer's Solon Home Days celebration -- a four-legged creature.
Mayor Susan A. Drucker and Police Chief Wayne Godzich announced last week that a canine officer will soon be on board.
A handler will be selected by month's end, Mr. Godzich said, and a German shepherd-type puppy will arrive from Europe by the spring, he said.
"I'm very excited we are moving forward with this," Mrs. Drucker said. One of her campaign issues, she said a canine officer will have positive effects on the city.
"Mostly, I like the dog for building bridges in the community," Mr. Godzich said. "Anything after that is a plus." The dog would assist with traffic stops if there were suspicion of drugs in a vehicle, he said. It is also a public relations tool to teach children safety and to feel comfortable with police officers, he said.
The dog will be trained in obedience, agility, article search, building search and narcotics detection, to name a few of abilities.
Mrs. Drucker said that, when Solon canine officer Joseph Vito and Rex retired in March of 2008, bringing back the unit to the city was something she has been interested in.
Surrounding communities, including Aurora, Twinsburg, Bainbridge, Bedford and Orange, have canine officers.
Mr. Godzich said he has received several responses from his current officers to serve as the handler. He has narrowed the list to five and will make a selection, he said. Being a handler requires a great level of dedication, he said.
"The animal becomes a part of the person's family and lifestyle," he said. Once the handler is selected intensive training over several weeks will take place.
"I'm extremely appreciative of everything the chief has done to get this rolling," Mrs. Drucker said. "It's a great collaborative effort."
One step further in the area of collaboration, Mrs. Drucker and Mr. Godzich are including fourth-grade students from the Solon School District to participate in naming the dog as part of a contest. Young people are encouraged to be original and imaginative in finding names that will serve the dog well in his career. As part of the contest, each fourth-grade class will vote on one name and submit the entry to Mr. Godzich. The winning entry will be chosen by the police officer handling the dog.
The winning entry will receive an 8-by-10-inch photo of their officially named K-9 with a certificate presented at a Solon City Council meeting. All entries are to be submitted by March 17.
"I look at this as an investment for the community," Mrs. Drucker said of the canine officer. "The canine unit brings many benefits to the city."
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