Chico To The Rescue

CHICO

TO THE RESCUE

by Diane Ciarloni | photos courtesy of Hickory Creek Police Department

Sgt. Jon Causseaux, a nearly 13-year veteran with the Hickory Creek Police Department, is always proud of his K-9 partner, Chico. But there was a recent afternoon when Causseaux’s chest swelled to maximum proportions.

A call came into Hickory Creek from Denton. A 12-year-old autistic boy was missing in a heavily wooded area. A 2 ½-hour search using a helicopter and drones failed to locate him. The seriousness of the situation increased by the minute since darkness wasn’t far away, and there was also a body of water in the area. People living with autism also harbor a pronounced attraction to water, so finding him before he wandered too close to the pond was imperative. The Denton rescue team needed Chico.

“Tracking is Chico’s absolute favorite thing to do,” Casseaux said. “Chico smelled a piece of the boy’s clothing as soon as we got to the search area. He took off. All he needed was five minutes, and the boy was back with his parents. I’m always proud of what this dog can do. But that was the best.”

Causseaux isn’t exaggerating when he says the handsome two-year-old loves tracking. He once tracked an escaped inmate in Mississippi for three miles, and he tracked a car until he literally passed out.

Causseaux grew up in Lake Dallas and Hickory Creek, born into a family involved in public service. Four years in the Boy Scout’s Explorer program while in high school led him to law enforcement. After serving in the Marines, he landed a job with the Denton jail. Then, after more training, he applied to both the Hickory Creek and Little Elm police departments. Accepted by both, he chose Hickory Creek.

“I’ve always hated narcotics on the street,” Causseaux revealed. “I also love my job and have a deep-seated desire to help people. I wanted to do everything I could to help get rid of the drugs. And, after thinking about it, I figured the most effective way to do that was with a dog. I put together a canine program plan, pitched it to the chief, and he agreed.”

Chico, a native of the Czech Republic, was purchased by the state of Mississippi. But early on, their canine program was canceled. Chico, through no fault of his own, was unemployed.

“He had training fundamentals,” Causseaux said. “But I didn’t even have that much. Dogs like Chico need a high prey drive and a desire to pursue and capture. Chico has that, and we just transitioned it to drugs.”

He added, “We don’t want aggressive dogs or dogs that bite just to bite. I’m Chico’s whole world. I even hand-feed him, and everything he wants or needs comes from me. That’s a big responsibility, and I take it seriously.”

The training never stops. It’s ongoing — at least 16-hours every single week. One result is Chico and the Sgt. are now certified as a dual-purpose team, working in both apprehension and narcotics.

Word of Chico’s talents has spread far beyond Hickory Creek. As a result, he and Causseaux are called out almost weekly to assist other agencies.

In this case, Mississippi’s loss was definitely Hickory Creek’s gain.