Villa Park bringing back canine unit

The Villa Park police department's canine unit could be up and barking by January 2008.

Trustees on Monday unanimously voted to spend $11,665 toward the purchase of a dog and training of a current officer with Northern Michigan K-9 Inc.

A larger portion of the cost to restart the canine unit will come via a state grant.

The village learned last month that it will receive $15,000 to be applied to the start-up costs of the unit, expected to run about $45,465.

The remainder of the amount will come from the police budget.

This will not be the first time the police have had a canine presence.

The department had a canine unit until 2003 when the officer assigned to the unit was promoted and the unit dissolved.

Within the police department, the canine unit is part of a larger build-up which will include adding two new officers for patrol duty and placing a second community resource officer at Willowbrook High School.

With the high school, as with the canine unit, the village will not have to pay the entire cost of the police department's growth.

DuPage High School District 88 will pay two-thirds of the salary of a new officer at the high school.