A statement from Bellefontaine Police Chief Chris Marlow:
After 4 years of faithful service to the residents of the City of Bellefontaine, the Bellefontaine Police Department announces the retirement of K9 Boodik. K9 Boodik has served as a dual-purpose patrol/narcotics K9 since 2019 with his handler Officer Jerrod Hostetler.
Throughout his career, K9 Boodik has deployed hundreds of times along with being utilized by surrounding agencies and counties for mutual aid requests. Although K9 Boodik is not known for being friendly, he is known for being a great working dog. K9 Boodik is responsible for hundreds of misdemeanor and felony drug arrests, illegal firearm seizures, and 49 suspect apprehensions. K9 Boodik was also a member of the agency’s Special Response Team where he assisted with dozens of narcotics-related search warrants, barricades, and at-risk warrants.
K9 Boodik and his handler were awarded the Bellefontaine Police Department Medal of Merit from an incident on March 20th, 2021, where an officer was assaulted and knocked unconscious, during a drug interdiction stop. K9 Boodik and his handler arrived to find the suspect running from the scene. K9 Boodik was remotely deployed and, along with his handler, apprehended the suspect who was violently combative, bringing him under control.
The Bellefontaine Police Department thinks K9 Boodik for his dedicated service. We are forever grateful for your bravery, dedication to hunting evil, and for keeping your handler and other officers safe over the past 4 years.
Officer Hostetler will continue in his service as a canine handler for the agency and Will begin training with a new canine partner next week. The early retirement of K9 Boodik stems from the Issue Two and legalization of marijuana in the State of Ohio, as marijuana was one of the odors K9 Boodik was imprinted to detect.
Please help us wish K9 Boodik a very happy retirement.
