Illinois Sheriffs
4-Paws, 2-Feet, 1-Team!
Illinois Sheriffs K-9 Units
Police K9 units, also known as police dogs, are highly trained dogs that work with law enforcement to help keep communities safe. While most humans encounter daily stress, how many, given the chance, would volunteer to face their extreme fears? To be a recipient of a violent act, to pursue violent perpetrators, to report on those who confront violence—willingly, courageously—this is the hero world of a working police K9 dog!
Donate to the ISA K9 HEROES SERIES!
Meet Lake County Sheriff's Office K9 Dax!
He was a dual purpose K9 trained in multi-functions. He and his handler Lake County Deputy John Forlenza shared a 9-year career together. In March of 2024, K9 Dax was injured while apprehending a person who had committed several felonies and was fleeing. K9 Dax injured his neck and spine, which resulted in temporary paralysis to his hindquarters. K9 Dax went through intensive physical therapy following the injury, allowing him to regain the ability to walk and use his hind legs.
K9 Dax’s team of veterinarians determined that, for his physical wellbeing, he would not be able to return to active duty. K9 Dax retired in Spring of 2024 and sadly he succumbed to those injuries – K9 Dax E.O.W. 4-12-24.
There is way more to K9 Dax’s story and his journey with Deputy Forlenza! He was a HERO, and you can learn all about his amazing career with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office when you click on the Dax’s Story button below.
When you donate $30, you'll receive one of our NEW plush Dax K9 Heroes with Trading Card!
SPECIAL WORDS FROM DEPUTY JOHN FORLENZA UPON DAX’S RETIREMENT IN APRIL 2024
Today we celebrate Dax’s retirement as a police K9. Thank you to all of you here today and all of Dax’s supporters throughout his career who couldn’t be here today. Thank you for all the cards, letters, care-packages and well wishes as he worked to recover from his recent injury. I want you all to know the special role you have played in Dax’s career and his rehabilitation.
I’d like to thank Sheriff Idleburg, and his administration for affording us every opportunity to train so that Dax could reach his full potential and have such a successful career. And above all, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be Dax’s handler and now owner!
Dax gave everything he had to being a police canine. He loved every aspect of it, especially finding and sometimes biting an offender. Part of what made Dax so successful was his gentle nature. Dax was never a mean dog; he was always relaxed around people he didn’t perceive as a threat. Dax liked and was very calm around other animals. Our cat Mittens is by far his favorite. But that calm nature paired with the proper training made him an exceptionally confident and tough dog. Dax always had the ability to adjust his level of aggressiveness to threats he faced during his career. Many offenders simply gave up without a fight because of his formidable warning bark and appearance (he’s so good looking).
I have loved being his best friend and handler for the last nine years. That time has gone by so fast. I wish I took more time to enjoy the little things during his career that looking back seem so much bigger now.
I’ll miss doing demonstrations with Dax, especially for school children. The look on their faces when they watched him and their thoughtful questions about him always made me smile.
I will miss training Dax with Alex and the TOPS crew and Rolando. I’ll miss taking Dax with Alex, Rolando and Todd across the country to certifications, trials, demonstrations and shows. We will miss being around the other handlers and their canines.
Dax and I will miss his supporters everywhere. You need to know how much you have meant to us over the years. You have helped make his career remarkable. Recently, I’ve received more get-well letters, cards and care packages from you for Dax than I can count. Your “get well” letters and cards have touched me and my family. They have made me reflect on Dax’s amazing career even more.
Dax has taught me a lot about being a handler. He has been tolerant of my mistakes and my shortcomings along the way. And eventually I got it right and began to read him better during our deployments which helped him to succeed. There are other great canines out there, some of them are here today. But there was no canine that could out-train Dax, and I believe that played a significant role in his success.
There is a verse, from the book of Isaiah Chapter 6. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send? And who shall go for us? And I said: Lord, here am I, send me. I have always thought of that passage prior to every deployment with Dax. I feel God sent Dax here to go for us when he was asked, and his response, by way of his actions was always “send me”.
Thank you, Dax, for all always being there! God bless all of you and God bless our Dax.
READ DEPUTY FORLENZA'S FULL SPEECH
IMPORTANT LINKS
Dax was selected as a well-deserved 2019 American Humane Law Enforcement/Arson Hero Dog. Click on the image above to play the full video!
Click the image to learn more about Fox News new Hero Dog series featuring DAX!
Meet the Lake County Sheriff’s Office K9s. Click the image above for an introduction to Dax and his K9 partners!
Fox 32 Chicago’s TOP DOG story about another crime solved by Deputy John Forlenza and K9 Dax! Click the image above to watch the video!
Don’t forget, this special Lake County K9 HERO Dax Plush is a DONATION ITEM, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Lake County K9 Unit in memory of K9 Dax.
Click to Donate in Memory of Dax!