Title
Special recognition remembering K-9 Dax of the Lake County Sheriff's Office and honoring his legacy.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax was 13 months old when he joined the Lake County Sheriff's Office in spring 2015; and
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax thrived in his role as a police canine; and
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax and his partner Deputy John Forlenza assisted in locating over 400 missing endangered people or fleeing felons while also helping in the detection of hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and seizing of cash and illegal firearms; and
WHEREAS, as a member of the U.S. Police Canine Association, K-9 Dax competed in several regional and national trials, receiving high accolades for tracking, article searches and narcotics, among other fields; and
WHEREAS, he also received over a dozen awards over the course of his storied career, including the 2018 K9s of Valor Foundation "K-9 of the Year" award and the 2023 Illinois Law Enforcement Medal of Honor; and
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax also appeared on numerous local and national news stations, representing Lake County and showing what a true partnership looks like; and
WHEREAS, on March 3, Dax sustained an injury while assisting in the apprehension of a fleeing subject, causing temporary paralysis to his hindquarters; and
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax was diagnosed with cervical and thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) and lumbosacral IVDD exasperated during the incident. He regained the ability to walk thanks to intensive physical therapy; and
WHEREAS, K-9 Dax retired from service in March and on April 10, the community gathered to celebrate K-9 Dax's loyal and dedicated service to the people of Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the men and women of the Lake County Sheriff's Office and all of Lake County mourn the loss of K-9 Dax who passed away on April 12.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, that the County Board of Lake County, Illinois feels sadness mourning the loss of K-9 Dax and shows gratitude to the service he gave to the...
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