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Handler – officer Jason Caudle
Carpentersville police saying goodbye to Blitz
Each shift before work, Carpentersville police officer Jason Caudle would call out to his partner, Blitz, alerting him it was time to go to work.”He would get excited when I would ask ‘Do you want to go to work,'” Caudle said. “He would run downstairs and wait to go outside.” Blitz, a trained police dog patrol, died suddenly from bloat earlier this month. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in front of the Carpentersville Police Department, 1200 L.W. Besinger Drive. The service is open to the community.”It’s a huge loss,” Carpentersville Police Chief Patrick Hoey said.Blitz, a German shepherd imported from the Czech Republic, was trained to do narcotics, building, area and cadaver searches. He also was trained to help track missing persons, apprehend offenders and protect his partner. Caudle and Blitz went through weekly training to maintain their certifications.”He would do anything to protect me or other officers,” Caudle said.Caudle said Blitz assisted in numerous narcotics searches. Blitz and Caudle also often traveled to other departments to help in searches.”Jason and Blitz not only served our departments, but surrounding departments all over the region,” Hoey said, adding the duo also served in a community relations role and participated in various events throughout the village. Hoey said an necropsy found that Blitz died from bloat, a condition that occurs when a dog’s stomach fills with gas, causing pressure to build and the stomach to flip, cutting off blood flow. The condition can develop without warning and can progress quickly. According to the American Kennel Club’s website, bloat kills about 30% of affected dogs, even after extensive treatment. Caudle said Blitz, who would have celebrated his eighth birthday on Thursday, was a “happy, healthy” dog who showed no signs of issues. Blitz was staying in a kennel at the time of his passing, but Caudle said there was no indication the kennel mishandled the dog.”Sometimes there’s not even times where you would know (a dog has bloat),” Caudle said.In addition to his work with the Carpentersville Police Department, Blitz was a part of Caudle’s family. During his off hours, he enjoyed snacking on his favorite dog treats and playing with Caudle’s other German shepherd and his 8-year-old daughter.”He would come home from work and be able to relax,” Caudle said. “He was a huge part of our family.”
