Eagan Police Welcome New Four-Legged Partner to the Team

Eagan Police Officer Andy Helgerson knew something wasn't right with Maverick, his trained police dog, when Maverick began "acting strange" and having trouble with his health.

After a visit to a veterinarian late last year, Maverick—Helgerson's partner for seven years—was diagnosed with cancer throughout his lungs and chest cavity.

"I could literally see him go, day by day, and hour by hour," Helgerson said. "I spent 24 hours a day with that dog. It may seem kind of corny to say this, but he and I were very close, very connected."

Helgerson will never be able to replace Maverick, but he is excited to work with his new partner, a Belgian Malinois purchased with funds donated this January to the by the Eagan Citizen's Crime Prevention Association (ECCPA).

The nonprofit association was established by Eagan residents and business people in 1985 to provide help to crime victims and their families and assist Eagan police, according to association member Manalee Johnson. Each year, the organization raises funds by hosting an annual golf tournament—which will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

Maverick's unexpected death last year left a hole in the department, which only employs two K-9 units, Eagan Police Chief Jim McDonald said. Purchasing a police dog from a specialized kennel costs approximately $7,000, and sending that dog through training costs roughly $3,000—money the department hadn't budgeted for in 2012, McDonald said. To fill the hole, McDonald looked to the ECCPA for help.

“We had no idea that we were going to lose Maverick [in 2011]," McDonald said. "Without the existence of the crime prevention association, it’s likely that we wouldn’t have been abe to come up with a new dog this year."

The dog, , has been acclimating to his new life with Helgerson since Jan. 5. He'll begin formal police training on March 5, said Helgerson, who has been a dog handler with the Eagan Police Department for eight years.

Eagan's police dogs are a "locating tool" for the department—trained to find fugitives, drugs and take on other tasks, Helgerson said. But the dogs also function in a public relations role, meeting with students and conducting demonstrations in the community.

"The K-9s are a valuable asset to the police department and very valuable to crime fighting in the community," Johnson said. "People connect incredibly well with the dogs and are a wonderful way for the police department to have a positive connection with the community."

"The ECCPA is privileged and humbled to be able to give back to the men and women who protect and serve the community of Eagan," Johnson said.