Ashwaubenon Public Safety holds a ceremony for K9 Officer Ole's retirement, June 14, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The first K9 officer hired by Ashwaubenon Public Safety is turning in his badge.
The village held a retirement ceremony for K9 Officer Ole Wednesday, while introducing its new K9 Officer Vice.
Ole, a German Shepard, was hired by the department in 2014 and for the last five years, has been with K9 handler, Officer Mack Teske.
During the ceremony, Chief Brian Uhl listed Ole’s accomplishments just in the past year:
- Deployed more than 100 times
- Made 25 arrests after K9 Officer Ole indicated on vehicles, building and other places
- Assisted in apprehending 11 people on tracks that led officers to locating the suspects
- Assisted in the seizure of multiple drugs
Cheif Uhl says the department’s K9 officer program is important.
“What does that bring to our community? It brings safety, it brings security. What does that bring to our officers? It brings safety, it brings peace of mind knowing that a K9 is close by that can assist them with their traffic stops, that can assist them with apprehending suspects that flee,” Uhl said.
Ole will live out his retirement at the home of his handler, Officer Teske.
And while Officer Teske says it’s a bittersweet moment, he will continue enjoying Ole at home and gain a new work partner in K9 Officer Vice.
“I went from almost an 11-year-old to an 18-month-old dog, so just the spunk, the spontaneity, the training itself, but I would say their attitude, he’s got a high-drive, wants to work, obviously Ole in his prime was the same way but like I said, the Belgian Malinois are a little spicy, they got a little more up to them so it’s just adjusting to a new dog and his ways of doing things,” Teske said.
Officer Teske and K9 Officer Vice finished their training in May and have been on patrol in the community for about two weeks.
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