Wood Dale police earn grant for new K-9

Police arguably know better than anyone that a good situation can turn bad in an instant.

Such a moment happened in March to members of the Wood Dale Police Department. Just seven months after adding a canine officer to the force named Uta, the dog was struck by a car and killed while off duty.

Uta was the third dog to join Wood Dale's K-9 unit, which was launched in the early 1990s. As its only dog, she played a key role in busting up a drug ring as part of DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group's Operation Scratch Off.

"Besides the emotional factor, she was a fantastic dog," said Wood Dale Deputy Chief Greg Vesta. "She was involved in one of the biggest drug deals broken up in DuPage. And in her few months on the street, she made a big difference."

Once members of the force swallowed their disappointment, Vesta said officers knew they had to find a new dog since the K-9 unit is a valuable asset.

An anonymous benefactor agreed.

In late summer, the department and Wood Dale's K-9 handler, Ryan O'Neil, bought a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois that is now the department's newest officer. After O'Neil and Laika completed five weeks of training in Indiana, she joined the force on the streets. In addition to helping locate narcotics, Laika is trained to help locate suspects and missing people.

"She's well sought after by not only our department but by departments around us," Vesta said.

This fall, the another split-second change hit the department. This time, however, the K-9 unit's situation turned from good to better. The Wood Dale Police Department learned it had earned a $5,000 grant from Jewel-Osco and Milk-Bone to help purchase a replacement for Uta.

"We were straightforward with them and told them about our anonymous benefactor, but told them we would like to use the money for ongoing training, equipment and veterinary services for Laika," said Vesta. "They were more than happy to help, especially knowing the history of our program."

Today, officer O'Neil and Laika train together every day and attend regional training twice monthly to practice building searches, tracking drugs and seeking out suspects or victims.

Vesta said Wood Dale police, as well as nearby departments that use Laika's talents, are grateful the K-9 unit is back in full effect.

"It's a program that keeps building and getting better as we go along," Vesta said. " It's good that we can keep it going even after a tragedy.