A T-shirt can help Koda fight crime
Koda is a good boy, at least until he needs to get ruff.
Popular with everyone in the community except the criminal suspects he's trained to catch, the Campton Hills police dog performs an important duty, and also an expensive one.
That's why Campton Hills police officer James Levand - Koda's partner and the driving force behind the village's K-9 unit - spends a good deal of time raising money to support the 3-year-old German shepherd and his ongoing costs, a task complicated by the pandemic.
The difference between Koda and other police dogs in the area is that no Campton Hills tax money is used to support the K-9 program. Every cent of Koda's upkeep comes from donations.
"We've gone to residents and businesses, and the response was overwhelming," Levand said. "I'd say within the first 45 to 60 days of putting it out to the community, there was probably already $30,000 raised for the program."
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though, many of Levand's normal fundraisers have been canceled. He's hoping the sale of Koda T-shirts, which can be bought for $25 on the village's website, will help fill the hole in the annual $30,000 budget.
And the money is not just for dog food. Koda requires different collars for different tasks, a treadmill to keep him in shape and ongoing monthly training.
A bulletproof vest was donated and all his health care is provided free by Gateway Veterinary Clinic in St. Charles, but there's a need for a well-running K-9 vehicle.
Levand found a used K-9 vehicle when he started the program, but he needs to buy a new one because of the wear-and-tear on the current vehicle. He's about $9,000 short of the $40,000 goal.
"It's a unique situation," said Levand, a 16-year police veteran who spent his first 10 years in Gilberts. "This was a lifelong career dream of mine, but in a smaller agency you're not as likely to see a K-9 on a department."
Koda was born in the Czech Republic and bred for police work. He was shipped to a facility in Grayslake, where he met and started training with Levand.
They trained for four months before earning certification for field work last year. In addition to Campton Hills calls, Koda and Levand also assist surrounding communities.
Koda is trained to track criminals and missing people. He's also trained to spot narcotics and find bodies.
The training never stops, but when his shift ends, Koda's home is with Levand and his family. And when he's off-duty, Koda's just another sweet dog.
After all, Koda is short for Takoda - the Native American word for "friend to everyone."
"At home he's just a big baby," Levand said. "But when he sees me put on my uniform, he knows it's time to work."