Woodstock police seek public’s help naming new police dog

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Woodstock police have a new recruit and they’ve launched a contest to help welcome it to the force.

Police are holding a competition in which citizens can name the new police dog, which replaces Taz, a police dog that died last year while on duty.

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“He has big paws to fill, but I’m confident he will be a valuable member of the Woodstock Police Service,” Const. Dan Skillings said of the name-the-canine competition.

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The two-year-old German Shepherd replaces Taz, which died last summer after Woodstock’s canine unit responded to a call to assist Stratford police with a drug investigation. Taz and another Woodstock police dog, Striker, both ingested drugs while conducting a search. Striker survived.

Stratford police previously have said Henry Karkheck, 48, of Port Dover, and Gary Roulston, 55, of Stratford, were charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, dangerous driving, obstructing police and injuring or killing animals.

Officially deployed in 2022, Taz was respected among the police canine unit community after developing into an “outstanding detection dog,” police officials said.

Const. Shaylyn Jackson is the Woodstock police spokesperson. She says police dogs are “valuable and vital” to the work they do.

Already certified in general patrol, the yet-to-be-named male German Shepherd is “very active” and “highly motivated to work,” she said. “It could be missing persons, it could be a drug warrant execution, it could just be a general patrol, looking-for-evidence type of situation.”

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Woodstock police promise “a special prize opportunity” for the person who suggests the winning name. In a statement, Chief Rod Wilkinson said: “We are excited to see the creativity and enthusiasm of our community in choosing a fitting name for our new four-legged officer.”

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NAME THE K-9

What: Name the canine competition.

When: Submissions will be accepted until March 3.

Where to submit: Participants can e-mail [email protected] or use click here to submit a suggestion.

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