A familiar face in the community officially retired.
Rochelle Police Department’s K-9 Don captured hearts in the community ever since he came on board seven years ago. Coworkers who came to know and love the furry police member gave him some tasty treats and posed for pictures Thursday afternoon.

Don’s handler, Emily Hardesty, said her “ride and die partner” has been a hard worker.
“It was truly an honor and privilege to be K-9 Don’s handler for the past seven years. As a team we located drugs on traffic stops, recovered evidence, tracked and located suspects as well as good people, utilized Don to gain suspects’ cooperation in high-risk situations, assisted outside agencies, and served on the Ogle County Emergency Response Team. The loyalty and trust between us is something I’ll never be able to explain as it can only be felt.”
Don has become an ambassador, bridging a divide between police officers and the public — an important task when establishing trust within the community.
“I would like to thank the community for all their love, compassion, and support they have shown Don and the Rochelle PD K-9 unit,” Hardesty said.