The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said its newest canines, Axel and Echo, have graduated from an intense training course in Grayslake and will be sworn in soon.
The two canines completed their eight-week training at TOPS Kennel in Grayslake on Friday, the sheriff’s office said.
“Canines Echo, Axel, and their partners Deputy Gauer & Deputy Girmscheid are very excited to get to work! Stay-tuned for their swearing-in ceremony!” the sheriff’s office said Saturday.
Canines Axel and Echo join their other sheriff’s canine partners Dax, Duke, Danno, Ryker and Boomer to bring the total number of Lake County sheriff’s canines to seven.
The selection of the two canines’ names came after nearly 400 students in Lake County submitted name suggestions in March.
Deerfield High School Sophomore Ethan Jacobs as well as Vernon Hills Hawthorn Middle School sixth-graders Matthew Prigorenko and Carson Alper selected the name Axel.
Millburn Elementary School kindergartener Charlotte Regner selected the name Echo.
All four students have been invited to participate in Echo and Axel’s swearing-in ceremony in late June, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
Deputy Tyler Girmscheid was partnered with Canine Echo and Deputy Kevin Gauer was partnered with Canine Axel.
The training course at TOPS Kennel consisted of canine psychology, obedience, agility, tracking, scent detection and more.