LAKE COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) — In a surprising turn of events, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois is currently probing into an incident involving one of its own deputies. The deputy in question is accused of abandoning his K-9 partner in an open field without supervision.
The incident came to light following a report that revealed K-9 Axel was left unsupervised for over 20 minutes in May by his handler, raising concerns within the community and the department.
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Reports suggest that as Axel and his handler engaged in a lively game of fetch, the deputy received an urgent call concerning railroad gates obstructing a nearby road, prompting him to leave abruptly.
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy prioritized the urgent call, inadvertently abandoning Axel, who was later discovered by a community member, calmly munching on grass in the deserted field.
Following a thorough investigation, the department decided to remove Axel from the deputy’s charge, indicating the seriousness with which they are handling the situation.
Deputy Chief Chris Covelli said in a statement, “Axel is healthy, capable of continuing to work, and is expected to have several years of productive service life remaining. Several law enforcement agencies have expressed interest in acquiring Axel.”
Axel is being cared for at a K-9 training facility while his future placement is finalized.
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