Morris names Funk Officer of the Year

MORRIS – Officer Patrick Funk thought he wanted to be a high school gym teacher and football coach – until he went for a ride along with his uncle, a Shorewood detective.

A former football player and graduate of Morris Community High School, Funk returned to Morris as a police officer in July 2013 after nine months at the Normal Police Department.

Less than three years into his career, Funk was named Morris Officer of the Year at the Morris City Council meeting Monday night.

“He has the passion to be the best officer possible,” Morris Police Chief Brent Dite said Tuesday. “He believes he was destined to be here, where he grew up.”

Funk led the department in drug arrests in 2014 and recently received thank-you letters from both the Oswego and Lockport police departments for performing K-9 searches at all of their high schools, Dite told the council Monday.

Funk works the 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. shift because it allows him to use Talon, the department’s drug-sniffing K-9, during school hours and peak hours for drug busts, Dite said.

State police and departments throughout Grundy County can call Funk if they’re in need of Talon’s drug-sniffing talent.

“It doesn’t matter what time of day it is,” Funk said. “I love drug enforcement. I like to think that Talon and I can play a part in keeping drugs out of our community.”

But Funk doesn’t always need Talon. He busted two individuals in a traffic stop Sunday with 54 bags of heroin after the driver consented to a search, as Talon waited in the patrol car.

A 2-year-old Dutch shepherd, Talon was trained in Holland before coming to the states, where he was selected by Dite with the assistance of a sergeant and head trainer with the Illinois State Police, who selects all state police dogs.

Since beginning service together in October 2013, Dite said the pair have been what he envisioned when he began working toward forming a K-9 unit.

“It had been a 3- to 4-year project,” Dite said. “In a perfect world I’d like to have two, so we could have one on duty at all times. It’s been a great partnership with the state’s attorney.”

Training, purchasing and equipping Talon cost about $13,000, a cost that was paid for by the Grundy County State’s Attorney’s Office. State’s Attorney Jason Helland said the money comes from Grundy County’s drug asset forfeiture fund, which is supported through asset forfeitures made on drug arrests.

“We’ve definitely discussed adding another K-9 Officer in Morris,” Helland said. “It’s up to Dite’s discretion and whether he has the manpower and resources to train another officer in the next couple years.”

Helland said the state always is looking to add assets to the police force with the forfeiture fund, and that he’s noticed a considerable increase in frequency of drug arrests in Morris since Talon debuted. Helland said he’s spoken to Coal City about adding a K-9 officer, but the department doesn’t have the manpower available right now.

The state’s attorney’s office already has provided funding for a dog for the Minooka Police Department.

When Talon isn’t on duty, or spending 16 hours-a-month training with Funk in Joliet, he’s just like any other dog and lives with Funk and his fiancee. Funk said he has to use two tennis balls to play fetch because Talon tries to chase down the ball intended for their other dog.

Dite said in addition to Talon’s ability as a Morris K-9 officer, he adds a public relations aspect because most people enjoy dogs and appreciate what he can do for the community.