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The O’Fallon Police Department K-9 Unit is comprised of Officer Michael Mojzis and his K-9 partner, Bobo. Officer Mojzis began working as a police officer with the O’Fallon Police Department in December of 2000. Before being reassigned to the K-9 Unit, Ofc. Mojzis served in the patrol division as well as being a member of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit. Prior to becoming a full time police officer, Ofc. Mojzis served as a Park Ranger and also volunteered as a member of the department’s Police Explorer Post. In September of 2006, Ofc. Mojzis met his new partner, K-9 Bobo.
K-9 Bobo is a 90 pound, male German Shepherd. He was born on August 2, 2005 in the Republic of Slovakia and was raised there until he was imported to the United States in August of 2006. Prior to his trip to the United States, Bobo was vaccinated, examined, and received his own passport. K-9 Bobo was acquired through the Top Dogs K-9 Academy in Evansville, Indiana where he and Ofc. Mojzis completed a rigorous six-week training program. They received training under the owner and operator of the Top Dogs K-9 Academy, Retired Captain John Haller of the Evansville, Indiana Police Department. Captain Haller was the first Evansville Police K-9 Officer and has over 30 years experience in the handling and training of police service dogs.
 While at the Top Dogs Academy, training was conducted in tracking, narcotics detection, physical agility, article searches, obedience and criminal apprehension. Upon graduating from the program, the team returned to O’Fallon and began to fill the big shoes left by their predecessors, Ofc. Dan Wunder and his K-9 partner, Danny
(retired). Although Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo have completed a basic training program together, routine training is essential to a dependable and competent K-9 unit. To meet those needs, Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo are members of the East West K-9 Training Group. The group is comprised of K-9 teams throughout the metro area, who meet regularly to train in addition to conducting school searches and public demonstrations. The East West K-9 Training Group trains at a field located in Bethalto, Illinois, known as “Area 51”. Ofc. Mojzis is also a member of the United States Police Canine Association, which is one of the oldest and largest groups dedicated to establishing and maintaining K-9 training standards.
The patrol car assigned to Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo not only contains the standard items you would find in a typical patrol car such as a radios, a video camera and a mobile computer, but special items necessary for the safety of the K-9 team. To assure the safety of Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo while they are patrolling the streets of O’Fallon, the rear of the patrol car is outfitted with a special aluminum kennel to protect them in the event of a collision. The K-9 car also contains a heat sensor, which monitors the interior temperature of the car, which sounds an alarm and rolls down the windows when the temperature exceeds a preset level. In addition, the rear door can be controlled and opened by remote to allow K-9 Bobo to exit the car and help Ofc. Mojzis in an emergency. Like all members of the O’Fallon Police Department,
K-9 Bobo is issued a bulletproof vest to protect him while he is protecting the citizens of O’Fallon.
Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo are assigned to a patrol shift where they work both days and nights. The team is on-call 24 hours, and is available to track and locate suspects and/or evidence, assist in locating missing persons, as well as conducting sniffs for illegal narcotics. In addition to serving the City of O’Fallon, the K-9 team routinely assists our neighboring cities and police agencies. Ofc. Mojzis and K-9 Bobo also conduct sweeps of the schools for narcotics as well as performing public demonstrations.
If you see Ofc. Mojzis on duty, feel free to ask him questions. If you see K-9 Bobo outside the vehicle, please keep your distance from him and DO NOT PET him without permission.
To learn more about the various police K-9 organizations, visit their websites by the links provided below.
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