City to conduct oath of office ceremony
Luke, the newest K9 to serve with the Atascadero Police Department, will be “sworn in,” on Aug. 4.
New K-9 officer to be sworn in
–On Thursday, Aug. 4, at 4 p.m., the City of Atascadero will conduct an oath of office ceremony in the Atascadero Council Chambers at City Hall on Palma Avenue for several of the city’s newest staff members.
Oaths of Office will be taken by Mike Bertuccini, the Public Works Department’s new Associate Civil Engineer/Stormwater Manager; Shannon Neall, a Support Services Technician (Dispatcher) for the Police Department; and Matt Chesson, who was recently promoted to the position of Police Sergeant. The City of Atascadero extends congratulations to these newest members of the City’s team and to Sgt. Chesson on his well-deserved promotion.
This occasion will also include the swearing-in of Atascadero Police Department’s newest K-9 officer, “Luke.” Luke was purchased to replace retired Police K-9, “Atza.” Luke is now the tenth K-9 to work for the Atascadero Police Department. Luke Vom Muhlenknapp was born in October 2014 in Germany. Luke is 20 months old and weighs in at about 90 lbs, stands about 3’ tall, his fur coloring is sable, and he has brown eyes; he was selected by the Inglis Police Dog Training Academy in Ventura, specifically to work with Police Officer Chris Hall and the Atascadero Police Department.
Officer Hall has been with the Atascadero Police Department for three and a half years. Prior to working in Atascadero, Officer Hall worked for the Guadalupe Police Department. Officer Hall was a handler with K-9 Atza for both the Atascadero and Guadalupe Police Departments, working with Atza for a total of about four and a half years. Officer Hall has been awarded the Department’s Life Saving Medal in 2013. He was also selected as the department’s “Officer of the Year” in 2013 by the Atascadero Elk’s Club.
Officer Hall and “Luke” recently completed an intensive five-week patrol dog training course at the Inglis Police Dog Training Academy, and then began patrol duties as partners in June. Traditionally, the department has issued each of its canines an official badge. “Luke” will wear badge number 10, which coincides with the number of K-9’s that have worked for the department.
