Prospect Heights police buy K-9 vehicle with grant

The Prospect Heights Police Department used funds from a $24,854 grant from the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to help address the community's safety concerns by buying a vehicle for the department's new K-9 unit.

The K-9 unit will be used to improve community relations, enhance officer safety when dealing with gang-related offenses/incidents, and be used for drug detection, the police department said in a news release.

"While the idea of a K-9 unit to enhance officer safety and ramp up our enforcement efforts in targeted areas in town was a priority, costs associated with this program prevented it from happening," said Chief Al Steffen. The grant "allowed our concept to become a reality."

Mayor Nick Helmer thanked the county for the grant.