Jacksonville – The Criminal Justice 101 class of Dr. Kay Henriksen had a couple of visitors last Wednesday morning and only one was human.

     Officer Doug Thompson ’00 is a Jacksonville Police Officer who is in charge of a K-9 unit. He and his dog, “Marco,” visited the class to talk about the kind of work he does and to give a demonstration.

     Officer Thompson visited the class on the MacMurray College campus on the invitation of Prof. Henriksen whose classes enjoy periodical visits by criminal justice alumni who have earned their degree at MacMurray.

     Marco is a Belgian malanois and is originally from Holland. The dog is able to respond to both Dutch and English commands. As a matter of fact, Officer Thompson received 10 days of intense training in Holland where he had to prove himself capable of working with a K-9 unit. He often speaks commands to his dog using the Dutch language.

     The officer is on call 24/7 and has assisted the South Jacksonville police department. His biggest bust involved 27 pounds of cannabis with a total of 36 pounds recovered so far with a value of more than $100,000.

     Officer Thompson saw a need for a K-9 unit and raised the necessary funds himself which totaled $11,000. This involved sending letters to the Jacksonville City Council as well as community and business leaders. He had tried to get grant funding but that failed and he began his community effort to raise the money.

     A malanois is better suited to sniffing for drugs than a German shepherd according to Officer Thompson. It is known as a “dual purpose” dog as it is able to assist in apprehending drugs as well as tracking people. It uses its eyes more than its sense of smell. A German shepherd is better is using its stronger sense of smell.

     Following a classroom discussion about his experience with the Jacksonville Police Department, the students adjourned to the outdoors where they were able to see firsthand a demonstration of Marco’s talents. Several students even volunteered to wear protective wear on their arm as Officer Thompson showed how the dog could respond to his commands.

     Officer Thompson has a very close bond with his “partner” and keeps the dog at his home where he has three other dogs.

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     Located in Jacksonville, Ill., MacMurray College is a private, four-year, liberal arts, coeducational college, founded in 1846, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Its friendly, informal environment stresses academic excellence, personal attention, career experience, and well-rounded development of each individual.