New K9 'Brings Extra Layer Of Safety' To Community: Lake County Sheriff

LAKE COUNTY, IL — K9 Zack, an explosive detection canine, has joined the Lake County Sheriff's Office. The 1-year-old German Shepherd joins a department currently staffed with 10 K9 teams.

"K9 Zack, partnered with Deputy Trish List, brings an extra layer of safety and peace of mind to our community," Sheriff John Idleburg said. "His explosive detection skills will be used to protect schools, public buildings, and community events, and he’ll be ready to assist our local law enforcement partners whenever needed."

According to the LCSO, K9 Zack was born on Valentine's Day last year in Europe. He traveled to the United States to continue his development at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, one of the nation's leading police canine training facilities. List recently completed five weeks of intensive training at Shallow Creek, where she and Zack built their partnership and honed his explosive detection skills.

K9 Zack will be a working canine in Lake County, helping to keep the community safe in a variety of ways:

• Sweeping schools and public buildings to ensure they are free of explosives or firearms.
• Checking community events and gatherings for potential threats before families arrive.
• Conducting security sweeps of county courthouses and government complexes.
• Assisting area police departments whenever specialized explosive detection is needed.
• Supporting major investigations by locating firearms, explosives, and related evidence.

The Lake County Sheriff’s K9 Unit continues to be a critical resource for the region, assisting in searches, investigations, and community safety efforts. With K9 Zack now on the team, the Sheriff's Office said it has an even greater capability to ensure Lake County remains a safe place to live, work, and visit.