Elmhurst K9 Ozy remembered as ‘very talented,' ‘part of the community'

Chicago Tribune

a day ago

A beloved member of the Elmhurst Police Department died suddenly last month, leaving a hole in the hearts of all who worked with him, along with the residents he met during his brief yet memorable six-year career.
And although he never said a word, his work spoke volumes.
He chased down armed criminals, detected illegal drugs, found lost people and befriended school children and senior citizens.
His name was Ozy and he was a German shepherd.
Cancer claimed his life on June 5, two days after he had emergency surgery on his spleen.
A memorial service was held for Ozy on July 3 in front of the police station.
Police Chief Michael McLean and Officer Brandt Cappitelli reflected on Ozy.
Cappitelli on June 3 noticed Ozy didn't seem himself. It turns out his spleen had ruptured and he had the emergency surgery.
'Ozy did a great job after surgery. He was up and walking around. I was amazed,' McLean said.
The spleen surgery, however, unveiled a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma, McLean said.
Just two days later Ozy was in distress again and there was nothing more that could be done.
'It was very sad for us because Ozy was an active part of this police department, working with us every day,' McLean said.
Ozy was the eldest of the department's two canine officers.
'When people ask me what our philosophy is for policing in Elmhurst, I like to say we're very community based, community focused. We're also a high-performing police department from an investigation standpoint
'Our canines have to be the same way. They're the embodiment of our policing philosophy,' McLean said.
Ozy was 'very talented,' McLean said, and would 'protect our officers really well.'
'He was also really great with the community, doing all sorts of canine demonstrations for them, great for seniors and for children,' McLean said.
Gina Minick, of Elmhurst, and 10-year-old daughter Tessa have first-hand memories of Ozy.
Tessa was in the fourth grade at Hawthorne Elementary this spring when Ozy and Cappitelli visited a meeting of Girl Scout Troop 56194.
Gina had invited Cappitelli and Ozy after she met both during a 12-week citizens police academy where residents learn about the department.
'We learned all about the canine unit. I said, 'Hey, can you please attend a Girl Scout meeting',' Gina said.
During the meeting at their school, the girls learned all about Ozy's skills.
'The takeaway for the girls and for me was how Ozy helps keep our community safe,' Gina said. 'The girls agreed it was their favorite Scout meeting of the year. He was an incredibly calm and friendly dog.'
Tessa said Ozy 'was really fun to have at Girl Scouts,' adding, 'he let us pet him.'
She and her mother were sad to learn of his death.
Ozy's career began in 2019 when he was paired with Cappitelli.
They were partners 24/7 as Ozy went to the home of Cappitelli, living with him, his wife and their four children.
'The best job in the department if you ask me. … On duty and off duty, the responsibility is huge. Responsible for him all the time, but it's definitely worth it. … He was the ultimate canine, the type of dog handlers want to have,' Cappitelli said.
His children, now ages 13 to 19, were 7 to 13 when Ozy moved in.
'He was phenomenal with the kids,' said Cappitelli, who joked that Ozy was their home security system.
Over the years, Ozy worked on many cases.
One that stands out for Cappitelli and McLean was last year when a ring of thieves was breaking into vehicles at night.
A loaded handgun was stolen from one. One of the suspects was found living in a house near a park.
'We figured he would run,' McLean said.
Sure enough, as officers closed in, the man 'bailed out of a window in the back of the house and took off running in a park.'
Noting the man could be armed, McLean said 'it was a dangerous situation for our officers.'
'Officer Cappitelli made the right call. He sent Ozy ahead to do the apprehension, to keep the officers safe,' McLean said.
To prevent any potential problems, all of Ozy's commands are spoken in German, not English, Cappitelli said.
'Ozy did his job and ran ahead, apprehended the suspect, allowing the offices to catch up and take the man into custody safely,' the chief said.
'That speaks to the training and dedication our canine and our handler have. You're trusting that dog will do exactly what he's trained to do, and Ozy did the job. He kept our officers and the community safe,' McLean said.
A canine officer jumps on a suspect and bites if need be. It was needed this time.
'When we train him, it's always the arm or the leg. Most people give up when they see the dog. This guy didn't want to give up. Ozy had to do the whole routine,' Cappitelli said.
Ozy was also trained to detect heroin, meth and cocaine.
When Elmhurst police stopped a car and suspected illegal drugs inside, Ozy would walk around the vehicle, using his strong sense of smell.
'His alert was sitting down. If he smelled something, he's going to sit and wait for his reward, which was a rubber ball,' Cappittelli said.
Ozy was trained to find missing persons. If a bank robber dropped a hat, for example, Ozy would sniff it and start tracking.
Elmhurst's other police dog is Tommy, a Dutch shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix.
The department hopes to acquire another dog, McLean said.
Aug. 14 will be bittersweet in the department as it would be Ozy's 8th birthday.
Meanwhile, mornings aren't the same.
'When he heard me start to get dressed (in my uniform) and heard the clink of my belt, he would come up to my room and wait for his collar because he knew it was time to go to work,' Cappitelli said.
On duty, Capitelli never fed Ozy a full meal, not wanting to weigh him down, but there were exceptions.
'If he did well, on occasion we'd share some Portillo's French fries.'
The loss of Ozy will be felt in other towns as well as. Elmhurst often lends its two police dogs to departments without canine units.
'Ozy wasn't just a crime fighter,' McLean added, 'he was part of the community.'