Hoffman Estates’ canine workforce expanding, diversifying

Viral video sensation Frannie the longhair Chihuahua may be in the four-legged running for the title of Hoffman Estates’ most famous dog, but four of her fellow canines are actually working for the village and living lives of service to its residents.

With the recent installation of new K-9 officer Ajax, the rest of the real-life Paw Patrol consists of Drug Enforcement Administration dog Fali and comfort dog Oakley in the police department, and therapy dog Charlie in the health & human services department.

There are precedents for all their positions throughout the Northwest suburbs, and even of having multiple dogs, but Hoffman Estates’ use of four is still rare, even if behind Elgin’s six.

“I think these dogs are special with the different things they do,” said Monica Saavedra, health & human services director and the handler of Charlie.

But the number was gradually reached through a recognition of the individual value of each.

Though such staffing is handled administratively rather than requiring formal village board approval, each proposal was rolled past the village manager who rolled it past the elected officials.

“Why would I have a problem with it?” Mayor Bill McLeod said. “Each one is for a specific reason. God bless them, they have to take care of these dogs, too. And I can see the value. I applaud the departments for their initiative on this.”

Charlie, a super-friendly chocolate Lab, is the only one of the four based at the village hall, where he’s become everyone’s favorite colleague, McLeod said. He even has his own Instagram account at @VOHETherapyDogCharlie.

Saavedra said the inspiration to get a therapy dog included the increase in requests for mental health services the village has seen during and since the pandemic. Labradors lend themselves well to the task because they tend to be very emotionally attuned and have a lot of patience and gentleness, she added.

“They want to make their humans happy,” Saavedra said.

As a therapy dog, Charlie receives a little more training than comfort dog Oakley in order to be around medical equipment and the like. But Oakley is more likely to be out in the community.

Oakley’s handler Deputy Police Chief John Bending said the dog does indeed want to go everywhere that he does.

Bending began pitching the acquisition of a comfort dog based on what he’d learned of their value in maintaining morale within other departments and helping victims of traumatic events regain their strength.

“It’s a growing thing, definitely,” Bending said. “There’s been a definite benefit. I think everyone enjoys having him around.”

The regional demand for such services has also led to him bringing Oakley to Bartlett and Elgin high schools recently to help students there after emotionally wrenching events.

Both Charlie and Oakley understand their roles when on duty and engage in more playful behavior when they’re off, their handlers said.

Ajax, partnered with Officer Grant Mullin, is half German Shepherd and half Belgian Malinois. Though the newest member of the department, he is fulfilling the more traditional role of police dog in replacement of his predecessor Dozer, who passed away earlier this year.

Fali is a full German Shepherd who specializes in drug enforcement. He is usually partnered with an undercover officer who does not appear in this article.