#wheelingpolice

The Wheeling Police Department’s K9 Unit formally introduced a new member today. K9 Sheik is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois trained in narcotics detection and suspect tracking/apprehension. K9 Sheik, along with handler Officer Brandon Stanley recently spent several weeks training over the fall and getting acquainted with each other at Merry K9 Services in Norwich, Ohio. Sheik was trained in policing commands, and apprehension techniques and was presented with various illegal drug interaction scenarios.Sheik joins current K9s Jericho and Virgil, who are also trained in narcotics detection, and Ozzy, who is trained in explosive detection. Her addition to the department now gives each of the four patrol shifts an assigned K9 officer.Sheik was purchased through the city’s allotment of West Virginia opioid settlement funds. Read the full article

The Wheeling Police Department’s K9 Unit formally introduced a new member today. K9 Sheik is a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois trained in narcotics detection and suspect tracking/apprehension. K9 Sheik, along with handler Officer Brandon Stanley recently spent several weeks training over the fall and getting acquainted with each other at Merry K9 Services in Norwich, Ohio. Sheik was trained in policing commands, and apprehension techniques and was presented with various illegal drug interaction scenarios.Sheik joins current K9s Jericho and Virgil, who are also trained in narcotics detection, and Ozzy, who is trained in explosive detection. Her addition to the department now gives each of the four patrol shifts an assigned K9 officer.Sheik was purchased through the city’s allotment of West Virginia opioid settlement funds. Read the full article

Through a joint effort of the Wheeling Fire Department’s Peer Support Group and the City of Wheeling, the department now has its first-ever therapy dog, Delta.Delta is a 7-month-old male purebred golden retriever who will be cared for by his handler, Wheeling Firefighter Ryan Loveland when not actively at one of the city’s fire stations.Many organizations are turning to therapy dogs to help people who work in highly stressed environments, like first responders.“The well-being among first responders’ mental health, especially over the last several years has become a priority,” Fire Chief Jim Blazier said. “There have been several incidents of first responders struggling and even taking their own lives in our region. We don’t want that to continue, and we hope Delta will be a good tool for our employees.”Studies show that interacting with a well-behaved dog helps release serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine- the body’s ‘feel good’ hormones. The study also shows that the interaction reduces cortisol levels – the body’s stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to increased heart rate, blood pressure, and weight gain, and increase the risk of many health problems later in life, such as heart disease and cancer.Delta and Loveland recently spent several weeks together training and getting acquainted at the K9 Responder Academy in Charlotte, N.C.“Delta is a very calm and comforting pup. He is still getting used to his surroundings at the fire stations but has adjusted quickly and has been received very well by the department,” said Delta’s handler, firefighter Ryan Loveland. “We still have a lot of training ahead of us, but otherwise, he is very social and makes everyone happy.”First responders work through many stressors daily, and with Delta’s assistance, it's hopeful those stressors can be reduced. Delta will visit the department’s seven fire stations when needed and can be brought in at any time when a stressful or traumatic event occurs.Once the in-house training phase is completed with Delta, he will be made available to other first responders in the area who may need his assistance.

Wheeling police are investigating an armed robbery that took place just before 11:45 a.m. today. The incident happened at Lily’s on River Road in North Wheeling.A male suspect, armed with a knife robbed an employee and fled the scene.The employee was injured during the altercation and was taken to Wheeling Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.The suspect is described as an older white male with blonde hair who was wearing an orange jacket and grey-colored pants at the time of the incident.If anyone has any information, they are urged to call Wheeling Police at 304–234–3664 or Crime Stoppers Upper Ohio Valley at 877-TIPS4US.

Wheeling Police are investigating an unarmed robbery that occurred late Tuesday evening on Wheeling Island.Police were called around 9:20 p.m. for a report of female delivery driver who was robbed of money in the area of Indiana and North Huron Streets.The victim told police a man approached her car, asked for directions, and then demanded money and assaulted her.The suspect is being described as a thin, tall white male, possibly in his 30s, unshaven facial hair who was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt at the time of the incident.If anyone has information, they are urged to call police at 304-234-3664 or Crime Stoppers Upper Ohio Valley at 977-TIPS4US.