Marengo Police Department K-9 program fundraiser at Sacred Heart Church

MARENGO – The Marengo Police Department is looking to build funds for their K-9 unit as the current officer and dog are planning to retire in 2017, Marengo Police Sgt. Rodney Riley said.

Riley said he and his partner Shadow, a black, 7-year-old German shepherd, have been working together since 2011, and he hopes a Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus fundraiser breakfast will help the program continue when he and Shadow leave.

He said the initial cost for Shadow and his training was about $12,500, and other weekly costs include food and continued training.

"We rely really on the community a lot to help with stuff like that," Riley said.

He said there have been many donations from residents and local organizations throughout the years to support Shadow, and the fundraiser breakfast is a continuation of that.

The fundraiser breakfast will be from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 24 at Sacred Heart Church, 323 N. Taylor St., Marengo. The cost is $7 for adults, $5 for children 5 to 12 years old and free for children 4 years old and younger. All proceeds are being donated to the Marengo Police Department K-9 Unit.

Riley said Shadow is trained in fields including narcotics detection, handler protection and tracking. He said one of the best moments with Shadow on the job is when the partners were able to help the Illinois Department of Corrections find a man wanted on a parole violation.

"There's been a lot of people who’ve wanted to just surrender and behave themselves because they don’t want to deal with the dog," Riley said.

Riley said he will have been at the police department for 30 years when he retires in 2017, and Shadow will continue to live with Riley at his home in Belvidere with his wife, two children and shepherd husky mix, Nala.