Meet Officer Caudle and Blitz, Carpentersville's new K-9 unit

Between his love of dogs and his interest in the narcotics aspect of law enforcement, Carpentersville Police Officer Jason Caudle felt drawn to his new position as K-9 handler for the department's new police dog.

In addition to his regular officer duties, Caudle is now responsible for training, caring for and working with Blitz, a 16-month-old German shepherd from the Czech Republic - and Caudle's right-hand man.

"Being able to have a K-9 is one of the most essential law enforcement tools you can have out there," said Caudle, who has worked seven years in the village. "I found it to be a really rewarding position."

Blitz is replacing two 10-year police dogs who retired from the department in December, Police Chief Michael Kilbourne said.

Police dogs have several responsibilities that make them vital to the department, Caudle said: drug searches, vehicle searches, tracking suspects and missing people.

"In today's society, when you have walk-aways - whether it be an elderly individual, or someone with dementia, or a child - having the ability to have a tracking dog is invaluable," Kilbourne said. "That's a big tool you can't do without. It's something you and I can't do."

Blitz is also trained in handler protection and apprehension, Caudle said, which is helpful during high-risk arrests.

Having been on duty since November, Blitz has also been used by nearby communities who don't have their own K-9 units, Caudle said.

The unique skills of a K-9 don't come easy, Caudle said. In September, he and Blitz began an extensive eight-week training program at TOPS Kennel in Grayslake, where Blitz had already completed three months of initial training.

As a pair, the unit worked on obedience, drug work, article searches and area searches. Blitz ran on treadmills and through obstacle courses.

They still participate in a weekly maintenance training, Caudle said.

Using drug funds, the village spend $59,830 on the K-9 program, which includes $12,600 for training and purchasing the dog, Kilbourne said. Additional costs come from a new squad car and equipment used exclusively by Caudle and Blitz.

In addition to working together, Blitz and Caudle also live together.

"He follows me around the house," Caudle said. "He does everything with me."

But Blitz's personality at home is entirely different from when he's at work, Caudle said. Trained to know the difference between on and off duty, Blitz at home loves playing with his toys and running around outside.

"As soon as he goes into that squad car, though, he knows he's at work," Caudle said. "He's always on guard."