Marseilles K-9 team receives high praise for finding handguns, drugs

The Marseilles Police Department’s K-9 received a special shout out from the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office this week.

Following an incident Monday in which a suspect fled the scene of a traffic stop, wrecked his vehicle and then fled on foot before being apprehended, Marseilles K-9 officer James Buckingham and his K-9 Tucker located a rock covering a hole in the ground where the suspect had placed a bag containing two loaded handguns (one reported stolen) and drugs.

“Thanks to Tucker, these weapons and drugs were taken off the street,” said La Salle County Sheriff Adam Diss in a letter to Marseilles Police Chief Brian Faber commending his staff. “I do not believe they would have been located without Officer Buckingham and Tucker’s help.”

Diss said he was grateful to the Marseilles police, because the county doesn’t have a K-9. The sheriff’s office had requested Buckingham and Tucker to the scene to search for the bag the suspect had been holding prior to fleeing.