K-9 Unit

Officer Andrew Franczak and K-9 Becks began working as a K-9 Team in 2015. Officer Franczak attended a six week training course at the Landheim Training Center in Dyer, Indiana, where he was paired up with K-9 Becks, a 2 1/2 year old German Shepherd that was born in Germany. Prior to the six week handler class, K-9 Becks received several months of foundation training at Landheim to be a PSD, or Police Service Dog.

Trained Tasks

The Oak Brook Police K-9 Unit was formed in 1993, and provides valuable assistance to the Oak Brook Police Department as a strong officer safety tool as well as a deterrent to criminal activity. Oak Brook canine teams are trained and certified to perform the following tasks:

Officer Andrew Franczak and K-9 Becks
  • Apprehend on command only, or without command in protection of the Handler;
  • Pursue and apprehend, with minimum force, criminals fleeing a serious crime, and arrest;
  • Search buildings and areas for unauthorized persons;
  • Search for evidence dropped by criminals in flight;
  • Search for hidden narcotics; and
  • Track criminals and search for lost children.

On Call Active as a patrol unit in the Village, the K-9 team is also on 24-hour call. On average, the K-9 Unit responds to 200 calls for service each year where the dog is deployed. This in addition to routine patrol and other police calls that do not require the use of the canine. On occasion, other departments may request mutual-aid from this unit.

Training

The unit is constantly updating the training required to maintain a high level of effectiveness. Both the officer and the canine are expected to be proficient at every level of activity. Police K-9 dogs, properly trained and handled, give Oak Brook officers one of the finest aids in the prevention and detection of crime, and the apprehension of criminal offenders.

Events

Oak Brook K-9 teams attend Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) functions and other educational events at local schools and organizations. Many times the K-9 unit is requested at special neighborhood gatherings and area-wide police and public safety exhibits. Oak Brook is also active in the Illinois Police Work Dog Association.