Keep K9 Rex With Officer Patla

This is organized by friends and family of Officer Patla and K9 Rex. We are members of the community and active supporters of the police department and the K9 Unit. 

As you may already know, K9 Officer Joe Patla is leaving after serving as K9 Officer for three years. Officer Patla offered to stay on part-time with the Twin Lakes PD until a new K9 and handler could be chosen. This would have meant being able keep K9 Rex available to the Village during that time. This option was denied.

Officer Patla then offered to purchase K9 Rex from Twin Lakes, however Tuesday night the Village Board voted to keep K9 Rex and send him for “re-training,” removing him from the only handler, family and home he has ever known. K9 Rex will remain at the kennel for “re-training” until a new handler is chosen and they can be certified this Fall. Typically, this means the dog is kenneled for up to 20 hours a day and only brought out for exercise and training.

This also means Twin Lakes will also be without a K9 until October/November at the earliest, IF re-training is successful.

Lastly, know that Officer Patla was never given the opportunity to speak in front of the board on Tuesday night. 

As of 2pm today, Wednesday, Officer Patla was given the command to turn over K9 Rex  to the department by 2pm Thursday July 2. 

With Officer Patla's contribution of $6,000, we are hoping to raise an additional $10,000 to present to the Village Board to fund a new dog in exchange for allowing K9 Rex and Officer Patla to stay together. If the Village denies this, all donations will be refunded.