Officer, K-9 awarded Employee of the Month
By Kitty Conley kconley@post-trib.com March 12, 2013 12:12PM
Crown Point police officer Jeff Eldridge and his K-9 partner Buddy received the city's Employee of the Month award for March. They are pictured with Mayor Dave Uran. | Photo provided
CROWN POINT — Corporal Jeff Eldridge and his K-9 partner Buddy were awarded the Employee of the Month award at the City Council meeting on March 4.
Eldridge received a couple of gift certificates along with a plaque.
Mayor Dave Uran joked that the certificate from Crown Brewing was for Eldridge but the one for Carriage Court Pizza had to be shared with Buddy.
This K-9 partnership has already been awarded the 2012 Narcotics Detection Team of the Year for a department with 50 or fewer employees by the American Police Canine Association. That award is for all of the United States.
According to Uran, the pair has brought in over 2,000 pounds of contraband drugs. The estimated street value of the drugs is $3 million.
Before the award was made, Buddy was walking freely among the people at the meeting. He went over to have Jay Olson, director of Public Works, scratch his ears, and then lifted his nose as if here were sniffing the air. Before he could head in the direction his nose was taking him, a simple command from Eldridge had his dog back at his side.
