Whitewater PD police dog leaves department
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The Whitewater Police Department has one less member on its force — and this one made a name for himself in the community by barking, sniffing and wagging his tail.
After weighing a series of options, the Whitewater Common Council on Feb. 7 agreed to sell Boomer, the Black Labrador who officially ushered in the beginning of WPD’s K-9 unit three years ago.
Boomer’s handler, Officer Joe Matteson, recently departed WPD in pursuit of another law enforcement opportunity outside the community.
As part of his separation from the city and department, Matteson is being permitted to keep Boomer with the caveat he pays the city $3,500 — the amount the city paid to train the four-footed member of the force with such skills as illegal drug detection.
Police Chief Lisa Otterbacher was on hand at the recent council meeting and discussed the options before the city’s decision-makers.
Although Boomer technically was city property, Otterbacher said she believed the dog would have been best suited staying with Matteson since K-9 police officers traditionally grow close to their handlers.
“There was no guarantee Boomer would be effective with another one of our officers,” Otterbacher said.
Otterbacher reported that she consulted with experts at the kennel that trained Boomer before discussing the issue with the council.
Boomer came to Whitewater with much fanfare in early 2014. An extensive fundraising appeal preceded his arrival, and several local organizations pledged to offer Boomer such incidentals as health screenings.
The city’s agreement with Matteson states Boomer must retire as a police K-9, essentially meaning he can only function as a family pet for the rest of his life.
While the city is now without a K-9, Otterbacher said efforts to resume the unit will continue in the future. WPD will go back to the drawing board by starting a new fundraising appeal and hopefully bringing in a new dog in the near future.
