On September 18, 2018, Chief Foulke annouced that Officer Howard Statz was chosen as the departments first K-9 handler and that Officer Statz would be spearheading fundraising efforts to get the program off the ground.  Through a rigorous research process, the department has decided that a “dual purpose” K9 would best serve our department, citizens, and community as a whole. The “dual purpose” K9 will have the following capabilities:

• Community Relations - Dogs are often able to break down barriers that may exist between officers and citizens and often serve as an excellent conversation piece. The main way our K9 would make a positive impact would be serving as an ambassador for the department. 
• Officer and Citizen Safety - The K9 will be trained to search buildings and structures that could potentially contain dangerous suspects. This means our officers may be exposed to less danger just by virtue of the K9’s presence. Often times, the mere presence of the K9 is enough to safely deescalate a dangerous situation, keeping officers and citizens safe.
• Tracking - K9s are able to search for individuals, sometimes even hours later. They can be utilized in cases of missing children, adults, or dangerous subjects.
• Evidence Location - The K9 can locate items containing human scent that may have been dropped or discarded by subjects after committing a crime.
• Narcotics Detection - A K9 trained in the detection of narcotics is able to alert to the odor of several different illegal drugs and can help officers locate hidden drugs. With the assistance of a K9, potentially dangerous drugs can be kept off of the street. 

As we have seen many times recently, our officers make a positive impact in the community on a daily basis.  Keeping this in mind, the K9 unit is seeking financial support to get this important project off the ground.  Your donations can and will have a lasting impact on the Middleton Police Department and the citizens of the City of Middleton.

Donations are always needed.  If you are interested in donating, you can contact Officer Howard Statz at the phone number or email listed below.  Donations can also be made by checks made out to: “City of Middleton K9 Donation” and mailed to Middleton Police Department, Attn: K9 Officer, 7341 Donna Dr, Middleton WI 53562. 

Additional fundraising events will be announced as they are scheduled.  Meetings can also be scheduled by clicking to email K9 Officer Howard Statz or click to email his supervisor, Lieutenant Steve Ziegler. 

Thank you for your consideration.  We are excited for this opportunity and are confident that the Police K9 will help the department continue to provide a high level of police services to the fine citizens of our great city. 

Officer Howard Statz 

K9 Officer 

(608)824-7300 

EMAIL

K-9 SUPPORT TEAM SHIRTS

Middleton Police K9 Support Team t-shirts are available for purchase for $20 each at the Middleton Police Department located at 7341 Donna Drive in Middleton WI.  The lobby is open 24/7.  Payment can be made by cash or check made out to "City of Middleton K9 Donation."  If you have questions, you can contact Officer Howard Statz at (608)824-7398 ext 7428 or email.  Thank you for your continued support!!