East Dubuque selling K-9 units and their equipment

East Dubuque city officials plan to sell the city’s K-9 unit and related equipment more than four months after the dog’s handler was fired from the city’s police department. Peacock was fired Aug. 27 after having served as the handler for the K-9, Odin, since 2021. After Peacock’s firing, the East Dubuque Police Department lacked a qualified handler for the dog. Odin was initially cared for by a Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Department K-9 handler but is now being housed at the Wisconsin kennel where he was trained. The city sold the Police Department’s K-9 vehicle for $41,000 and also has a tentative buyer for Odin. City Manager Bob Seitz said that by the time a new East Dubuque officer might be ready to complete K-9 training, a new dog would likely need to be procured anyway, as Odin’s skills would have waned due to the lack of active duty. The cost of housing Odin in the kennel long-term also would be substantial, and the K-9 vehicle’s value would depreciate if it sat unused. Seitz said the city still wants to relaunch its K-9 program, but that will likely take at least 18 months.