Crystal Lake Police Department mourns K-9 Zeus

Crystal Lake Police Department’s “beloved” K-9 Zeus died after suffering a medical emergency related to cancer over the holiday weekend.

The cancer was discovered after the medical emergency Zeus suffered Saturday, Deputy Police Chief Richard Neumann said in an email to the Northwest Herald.

“Zeus was exceptional and will be missed,” he said.

In a Facebook post, the police department announced the news “with extremely heavy hearts” Monday morning and asked to keep the dog’s partner, Officer Ryan Schack, and his family “in your thoughts during this difficult time.”

Zeus, a German shepherd originally from the Czech Republic, joined the Crystal Lake Police Department in 2018, according to the city’s website. He was certified by the Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board of Illinois in patrol and narcotics detection specialties.