Mount Pleasant police plan to add another K9 officer team to their ranks in the next several weeks because of a looming retirement.
K9 Officer Bones has been serving the residents of Mount Pleasant for the last nine years with Officer Dale Swart, and he will retire this spring.
“Our service together was great,” Swart said. “He has been as reliable as any human partner and just as loyal.”
Bones has a relaxing retirement in store, Swart added.
“His future has long walks after I get off of work, car rides, and sneaking to K9 training for a bit of fun,” he stated.
Officer Eric Giese has been chosen as the village’s next K9 officer, but what kind of dog will partner with him has not been determined because the training facility typically also supplies the dog.
Ideally, police Chief Tim Zarzecki would like to get his new K9 team out on the road before Bones retires, but he’s not sure where the team would do their training. Officer Nicole Knierim – the county’s first female K9 officer – trained with Brutus in North Carolina.
“We’re still researching facilities, and we have to get a patrol vehicle properly outfitted,” he said.
Funds to pay for the new team and their training is in a designated fund, and Zarzecki said he will go before the Finance, Legal, License Committee next week for approval to spend the money on a new K9.
Finance, Legal, License meets at 10 a.m. on March 18 at Village Hall, 8811 Campus Drive. Call (262) 664-7800.
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