Gurnee students' help sought in naming two police dogs

Students in Gurnee schools are being asked to help name two new police dogs.

A partnership with Gurnee Mills and Six Flags Great America has allowed Gurnee police to continue its canine program after the retirement last year of Bear and Hunter.

Two German shepherds are in training at TOPS in Grayslake and are expected to be with the department in the coming weeks.

With that, Gurnee students currently enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade can submit their name recommendations for the pair through the village website, gurnee.il.us/.

Entrants must be a student currently enrolled in a Gurnee school, public or private. They must have the permission from and contact information for a parent or guardian to participate. The deadline is 10 p.m. March 31.

Winning entries will be selected by Gurnee police. The kids who submit the chosen names will have the opportunity to meet the dogs at the official swearing-in ceremony expected in June.

Police dogs play a critical role in serving the community and protecting residents and visitors at attractions such as Gurnee Mills and Six Flags Great America, said Police Chief Brian Smith.

"We are grateful and excited for the opportunity to continue our police dog program with the addition of two new canines," he said. "We are eager to hear from our local students who are helping us select the perfect names for our canines."

TOPS is a family owned business established in 1978 and has been training police dogs for many years.

About 40 police dogs on the street in Lake, Cook, McHenry and Kenosha counties have been trained through TOPS.

The dogs and handlers initially undergo eight weeks of training, earn their certification, and receive continual follow-up training through TOPS for various patrol functions, including article and building searches, narcotics detection, and tracking.

For details, visit the Gurnee police Facebook page.