The Journey Of Helmut And Ron: Tinley PD's K9s From The Czech Republic

TINLEY PARK, IL — The village recently announced the addition of two K9 police dogs to the Tinley Park police force, and said finding the right four-legged officers for the job was a yearlong process.

Helmut and Ron, two German shepherds currently in training, were purchased from Advanced Detection Paw Palace, a Lynwood facility that breeds and trains police dogs. One of the dogs was budgeted for in the village's 2022 budget, and the other was donated by Will County officials.

Deputy Police Chief Thomas Tilton told Patch he was asked by Police Chief Matt Walsh to re-establish the village's police canine program in 2021 after the department's former police dog, Yambo, was retired.

At first, Tilton said, the department only had the budget for one canine and one canine vehicle to transport the new dog. After talking with Mayor Mike Glotz, Walsh and Tinley Park Trustee William Brennan, he visited the Paw Palace and decided on securing a dog from the facility, which would help train the animal in patrol and narcotics detection.

At a later conference for Will County police chiefs, the state's attorney's office announced a program, "K-9s for Cops," which aimed to help purchase a canine for any Will County police department that requested one. Tilton said he immediately reached out to apply.

After Tillton learned Will County would reimburse one canine from Paw Palace, a trainer for the facility reached out and told him he had another canine with the same qualifications as the one Tinley Park PD was ready to purchase. Paw Palace and Tinley Park police renegotiated and reached a deal that included both Helmut and Ron and an 8-week training program, along with a warranty on both canine cops.

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"The extremely high quality of the animals provided from this kennel was the first thing consistently mentioned by everyone with whom I interacted," Tilton said.

Using the Will County program and previously budgeted funds, the village officially purchased both dogs in March. Helmut and Ron were bred in the Czech Republic and had to be transported stateside, and undergo quarantine and initial training before Kelly Sweeney and Vince Murmann could meet their new partners.

Both officers Sweeney and Murmann are in week three of the training program, which began in late April. Once Helmut and Ron complete the program, the two K9s will become official members of the Tinley Park Police Department.