WAUKEGAN – Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg is proud to announce the newest addition to the Sheriff’s K-9 Unit: K-9 Zack, an explosive detection canine partnered with Deputy Trish List.

K-9 Zack was born on Feb. 14, 2024, in Europe. Zack traveled to the U.S. to continue his development at Shallow Creek Kennels in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, one of the nation’s leading police canine training facilities, according to a news release.

Deputy List recently completed five weeks of intensive training at Shallow Creek, where she and Zack built their partnership and honed his explosive detection skills.

K-9 Zack will be a working canine in Lake County, helping to keep the community safe in many ways: sweeping schools and public buildings to ensure they are free of explosives or firearms; checking community events and gatherings for potential threats before families arrive; conducting security sweeps of county courthouses and government complexes; assisting area police departments whenever specialized explosive detection is needed; and supporting major investigations by locating firearms, explosives and related evidence.

“K-9 Zack, partnered with deputy Trish List, brings an extra layer of safety and peace of mind to our community,” Idleburg said in the release. “His explosive detection skills will be used to protect schools, public buildings, and community events, and he’ll be ready to assist our local law enforcement partners whenever needed. Just as important, having K-9 Zack on our team serves as a strong deterrent, showing our commitment to creating the safest possible environment for the people of Lake County.”

The Lake County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, currently staffed with ten K-9 teams, continues to be a critical resource for the region, assisting in searches, investigations and community safety efforts. With K-9 Zack now on the team, the Sheriff’s Office has a greater capability to ensure Lake County remains a safe place to live, work and visit.

“From the moment I met K-9 Zack on the first day of training, I immediately knew he was the right dog to be partnered with,” List said in the release. “K-9 Zack is energetic, enthusiastic and already loves going to work. We are looking forward to a long career of working with the Lake County community.”