K9 Unit

The Wheeling Police Department’s K-9 Unit was formed in 2003 and currently has three K-9s on staff. Each year, the K9 Unit spends roughly 1,000 hours training and is utilized several times throughout the year for police incidents and community outreach. All of the department's dogs are trained to detect narcotics, track fleeing suspects, conduct building searches and give officer protection. The illegal narcotics that the K-9s are trained to detect are Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin and MDMA. K9 Ozzy, who joined the unit in 2021, is trained to detect explosives. 

Current WPD K9's: 

• Ozzy (2021-present) 
• Virgil (2023-present)
• Sheik (2024-present)

Former WPD K9's (with years of service):

• Alf (2003-2010)
• Freddie (2003-2007)
• Apollo (2008-2014)
• Hyco (2008-2014)
• Dux (2010-2014)
• Declan (2013-2019)
• Bella (2011-2019)
• Ammo (2015-2020)
• Keeni (2014-2021)
• Zero (2018-2023)
• Jericho (2015-2025)