New Bourbonnais police officer is a Knight

BOURBONNAIS — With a resounding two barks, Knight made history Monday night during the Bourbonnais Board of Trustees meeting.

Knight, a 5 ½-year-old Belgian Malinois, becomes the Bourbonnais Police Department’s first K9 officer.

Knight partnered with Bourbonnais Police Sgt. Tim Banks as a member of Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. KAMEG is part of the Illinois State Police.

K9 officers usually stay with their officer/handler.

Bourbonnais agreed to pay KAMEG $33,200 for the squad, which is equipped to handle a K9. The vehicle has approximately 32,000 miles on it.

Banks had been with KAMEG for more than four years.

“Knight will work for food,” Police Chief Jim Phelps said prior to swearing in Knight.

At the end of the oath, Phelps asked: " Knight, please bark to affirm your oath of office to our community.”

On Banks’ command, Knight barked.

Prior to the swearing in, Phelps said they had one “quick trial run” doing the oath.

As he was administering the oath, Phelps held a ball that was Knight’s, who kept a steady gaze on it.

Banks said it is the ball Knight plays with when he is off duty.

Afterward, Knight carried the ball in his mouth, dropping it to anyone who would play fetch. The board room is small and isn’t conducive for such actions.

Banks has been a member of the Bourbonnais Police Department since 2013.

Knight is a multi-purpose canine trained in tracking, locating missing subjects, apprehension, and illicit substance detection and location.

“Our force continues to grow in diversity, and we couldn’t be prouder to welcome, Knight, to the Bourbonnais Police Department,” Phelps said in a release. “He will be an exceptional tool for aiding officers in keeping village streets safe.”

https://daily-journal.com/news/local/bourbonnais_news/new-bourbonnais-police-officer-is-a-knight/article_992699d2-9bc4-11ef-8a47-6b038ebe1c0f.html