The primary functions of the canine unit are crime prevention, drug interdiction and enforcement and to assist other units with quick apprehension of suspects through use of non-lethal force.  The canine unit is also utilized in the search and rescue of lost/missing children and adults, evidence recovery and Emergency Response Team.  The canine unit is a valuable tool utilized in community relations, as the dog and his partner are one of the most visible teams on the street.  The unit is also available to other agencies and is on call on a 24-hour basis.

Members of the canine unit include Officer Gino , a male German shepherd who was born on December 14, 2001 in Niederossig, Germany and was trained in Schutzhund (SCH) Training, which means “protection dog”.  He holds many titles, such as SCH I, SCH II, and has a Masters Degree in SCH III.  These titles indicate that Gino has mastered obedience, tracking and protection training at the highest level tested.  He also holds titles in FH I and FH II which are tracking titles.  Gino also competed in the European National Breed Show, (Seiger Championship) and received the very special rating of Excellent – Select.  This award is given to the dog, which is expected to influence the breed in a very positive way.

Officer Gino is also certified for police work in tracking, criminal apprehension, evidence recovery, narcotics, handler protection and S.W.A.T. K-9 tactics.  Most dogs that are trained for police work achieve titles at the SCH I level, like Officer Jake who is retired and Officer Shelby.

Officer Shelby, a female German shepherd from the Bohemian Forest 23 miles from the Czech Republic border in the Eastern part of Germany. Officer Shelby has a Sch I title and a FH I tracking title. Officer Shelby is also certified for police work in tracking, criminal apprehension, evidence recovery, narcotics, handler protection and S.W.A.T. K-9 tactics. Their partner, Officer DeMarais is a nationally certified Master canine trainer and has trained both Officer Gino and Shelby.  Both Officer Gino and Officer Shelby live with Officer DeMarais and his family.  When off duty, Gino and Shelby’s hobbies include playing ball, exercising and playing with the neighborhood children.  Officer DeMarais' family purchased both Officer Gino and Officer Shelby and paid for both dogs' police training and certifications prior to offering their services to the department.  In addition, generous donations from citizens and business in Lake in the Hills have allowed the Police Department to outfit a squad car specifically designed for Officer Gino and Officer Shelby with necessary equipment for their safety.

Both Officer Gino and Officer Shelby are replacing now retired Officer Jake who in the past 4 years that Officer Jake served Lake in the Hills, he had approximately 63 apprehensions, which included numerous narcotic arrests as well as, other misdemeanor and felony arrests all without a bite.  

Since the unit’s inception, the canines have been instrumental in assisting officers with arrests for numerous narcotics violations and other major crimes. The most notable incident was a bank robbery at the Lake in the Hills Bank on May 25, 1996.  The unit tracked the suspected offender from the scene at the bank to his neighborhood.  Further investigation located the offender who was taken into custody a short time later. The canine unit was also used by the F.B.I. to locate a firearm that was used in a double homicide. The Village has had a dramatic decrease in crime due, in part, to the inception of the canine unit and proactive law enforcement.

The canine unit is another example of how the Lake in the Hills Police Department is addressing the needs of the community and taking steps to accomplish its goals of proactive law enforcement.

The success of the canine unit also relies on the cooperation and support of the citizens of Lake in the Hills.  Things you can do to help our canine officers if you are ever witness to a crime include:

·    For your safety, never confront a suspect.  Always dial 9-1-1!

·    Take notice of the last spot you observed the suspect.

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Crime Scene Services

The Crime Scene Services Division of the Lake in the Hills Police Department is responsible for the storage of found property and investigating and processing evidence at crime scenes. The division is staffed by three certified crime scene technicians.  When property or evidence is recovered, it is transferred into the custody of one of the technicians by the recovering officer. The technician then properly secures the item in the appropriate storage facility at the police department. A proper chain of custody is maintained from the time the property or evidence is obtained until its final disposition.

The crime scene technicians are also responsible for the investigation and processing of all crime scenes in the village. Crime scenes include such offenses as Residential Burglary, Theft, Criminal Damage to Property.  Technicians are equipped with forensic tools that allow them to locate and process fingerprints, take clear and concise photographs of the scene, do a crime scene drawing if required, obtain trace evidence such as hair and fibers, and write a crime scene technicians report that gives investigators an idea of what happened and  direction in the continuing investigation.

The technicians have the assistance of the State Police Forensic Laboratory for the processing and analysis of the recovered evidence. With all these resources- technicians, laboratories, and investigators- the Lake in the Hills Police Department is able to fulfill its goal of investigating crime and bringing the responsible parties to answer for their conduct.

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Investigations

The Lake in the Hills Police Department Investigations Division is set up to provide the public with an effective and comprehensive service in which to investigate and pro-actively document violations of the law that will bring the responsible parties to justice. The department currently has three officers assigned to investigations, supervised by a Detective Sergeant. Their job is to maintain a professional and courteous standard of service to citizens whether they be victims, witnesses, complainants, suspects, or offenders. The officers assigned to investigations work with other area departments to promote a free flow of communications and information necessary to accomplish the common goal of service and protection to the citizens of Lake in the Hills.

The Lake in the Hills Police Department is committed to aggressively following up on those cases forwarded to the investigations unit. The department uses all resources available to successfully clear cases assigned. Pro-active investigations into property crime and drug offenses are actively handled using surveillance equipment. Communications with other departments, organizations, and the news media are used by the department to obtain and disseminate information vital to the completion of cases.

Finally, the Lake in the Hills Police Department is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with the victims of crimes in order to keep them apprised of the progress of the investigation. This may include informal telephone conversations, meetings with the victims, or formal written correspondence. The main goal is to maintain a relationship so that victims have the feeling of involvement and participation in the investigation that is being conducted.

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