Rockford Police Department to add new K-9 officer, training begins next week

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Rockford Police Department announced on Wednesday that it will add a new K-9 officer after the death earlier this year of Nyx.

Rip is a 2-year-old Dutch shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix who will be handled by Officer Jon Vargas, who was also the handler of Nyx.

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The new K-9 was purchased with funds donated to the nonprofit Friends of the Rockford Police K-9 Unit. It’s expected to cost about $18,000 for Rip including the training, according to Kathy Hansen, president of the Friends of Rockford Police K-9. The nonprofit also helps raise funds for equipment, vests and vehicles for the K-9 units.

“We started this back in 2017, and it’s a group of concerned citizens who are very pro-police, love the dogs and really realize the value that the dogs bring to the department,” Hansen said. “We’re committed. We’re determined. We want to make sure that we’ve got a strong K-9 unit in Rockford.”

The police department said Vargas and Rip will begin K-9 certification school next week, and it will release more information after the officers complete that training.

Nyx had been with the department since October 2018 and was the city’s first ever female police dog. The 7-year-old canine officer was fatally shot Jan. 28 in pursuit of a domestic violence suspect.

Malik Trotter, 28, faces multiple charges in Nyx’s killing.

The department has three other K-9 officers, Andii, Sully and Otto.

Hansen said the organization will be raising future funds to have a bronze memorial for Nyx.

How to help

To learn more about the Friends of the Rockford Police K-9 Unit or to donate, go to friendsofrockfordpolicek9.com.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas