Controversy has broken out in a suburb near Cleveland, Ohio, between a police officer and the police chief after the officer decided to take another job and the police chief said he could not take his police K9 with him.
Shaker Heights police officer Chad Hagan, who has worked with the six-year-old German shepherd, named Igor, since 2018, said that he told Police Chief Wayne Hudson that he was considering other law enforcement opportunities; he wanted a job enabling him to work closer to home. Hagan’s wife Danielle said, “First thing that was said to him by the chief was we need to figure out what we’re going to do with Igor. That kind of struck Chad the wrong way. He wasn’t saying he was leaving. So, when that happened he was like ‘well wow’…That kind of a slap in the face.”
“We offered $10,000 of our own money and to be honest, I guarantee Chad would have paid more than that. But, the chief came back and said no financial number will be considered,” she continued, adding, “He’s been with us through our first home, our forever home, marriage, having a baby. Been with us through everything.”
The City of Shaker Heights issued a statement offering their side of the story. They stated:
In November, Officer Hagan told Shaker Heights Police Chief Wayne Hudson that he would be resigning to take a position with another department and that he wanted to take Igor. Even though Igor has an expected three or four years of service before likely retirement, as an accommodation, the Chief offered Officer Hagan the option to stay only two more years with the SHPD and then permit Igor to retire. Officer Hagan rejected this offer.
The city added, “Officer Hagan proposed purchasing Igor. However, according to the City’s laws, the City’s administration, including the Chief, has no authority to sell the dog.” The city then quoted a 2019 city ordinance that states, “A City Police officer who leaves the City’s canine unit while the Police Dog assigned to the officer is still fit for duty forfeits the right to purchase the animal under this section.”
“It was intended to follow a State law enacted in 1998 (Revised Code Section 9.62), to allow an officer to purchase their canine for $1.00 if the “Dog is injured in the line of duty, becomes disabled and is unfit for duty, or grows too old to be fit for duty…” the city said, adding, “An unnamed “local and national group of individuals” has accused the Chief of retaliating against Officer Hagan and of acting out of spite and with vindictiveness. Chief Hudson, in fact, tried to convince Officer Hagan to stay with the SHPD and met with the Officer in a respectful hearing that included leadership staff. Further, the Chief acted within the law in declining to sell Igor to the officer.”
This story has received international attention, and petitions are out, but still no results! Please pass this around!
A Shaker Heights, Ohio Police Officer, Chad Hagen, is moving his family to another city, and gave Police Chief Wayne Hudson his 2-week notice on Thanksgiving.… pic.twitter.com/ys5PSlfkAH
— 🇺🇸ProudArmyBrat (@leslibless) December 10, 2023
A petition launched to keep Igor with the Hagan family claimed Hudson told Hagan, “It (K9 Igor) is a tool and there is no financial amount that would be considered.”
Igor is presently kept in a kennel until further arrangements can be made.
Here's where K9 Igor has been sent to continue his service… #SaveK9Igor pic.twitter.com/24HbO01lhh
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) December 11, 2023