Policing the streets with a canine has never been so stylish. The Police Department’s K9 Unit in Hilliard, Ohio, will fight crime in a brand new patrol vehicle – a customized 2007 BMW X3 – thanks to a donation by BMW Group Financial Services. BMW FS presented the $50,000 vehicle to Hilliard police chief Rodney Garnett and the Hilliard Police K9 Unit, underscoring the K9 Unit’s successful crime-fighting record.
“We are pleased to recognize the second anniversary of the Hilliard Police K9 Unit with a new patrol vehicle, and we’re confident this vehicle will provide the superior performance capability, accessibility and maneuverability required to effectively get the job done,” says Sanjay Chhabria, vice president of operations for BMW FS.
Since 2005, the K9 unit has been responsible for the arrests of more than 70 people, charged with 92 crimes. The unit includes officer Jim Large and Brix – a 4-year-old, 68-pound Belgian Malinois who arrived from the Netherlands in June 2005. State-certified as a dual-purpose police-service K9, Brix is the first police dog for Hilliard. The duo’s primary duties include building and area searches, evidence location, criminal apprehension, and narcotics detection.
Adorned with easily identifiable Hilliard police department and special K9 unit decals, the new vehicle has been custom-outfitted to include traditional patrol car roof lighting, a K9 cage and special door latches that may be remotely operated to allow for the police dog’s swift departure from the vehicle in the event of an emergency. Since the inception of the K9 unit, its patrol vehicle has often been an effective crime deterrent, causing many criminals to surrender, even before the police dog has exited the car.
“We congratulate officer Large and Brix on their outstanding work thus far, and we wish the entire Hilliard police department much continued success in protecting the citizens of Hilliard,” Chhabria says.