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Patrol/K-9 Officer Kevin Schimick of Temple Police Department receives a kiss from police dog Korak at Temple Police Department on Thursday afternoon. Korak on Wednesday morning tracked a burglar to his hiding place in an apartment complex. Schimick is the new K-9 handler for Temple police. Korak returned to work after major surgery. (Photo by Rebekah Workman)

It didn’t take long for Officer Korak, Temple K-9 Unit police dog, to show his new trainer, Patrol/Canine Officer Kevin Schimick, that he was ready for a return to duties.

Temple police were called to Ashby’s Exxon, 3804 S. Fifth St, at 3:49 a.m. Wednesday and discovered the gas station had been burglarized.

The call for Korak was then made - and in fine form, Korak delivered.

Tracking from Fifth Street, Korak picked up the scent of the burglar. Schimick followed his dog along the back of Marlandwood, across to Canyon Creek Town Homes. “He just went,” Schimick said. “The closer we got, the faster he went.”

Korak has been off work for just under four months after major surgery and a change of handlers. For two and a half months, Korak was recovering after his spleen was removed. Medics gave him clearance to return to work two weeks ago.

“He went down to 62 pounds. He lost a lot of weight,” Schimick said. “He is back up to about 78 pounds now.”

Police received permission to search the apartment that Korak tracked the scent to. The suspect, 31-year-old David Cleveland of Temple was found hiding under the bed in the apartment complex. Items from Ashby’s Exxon were also found in the apartment.

Cleveland was charged with burglary of a building after the case was presented to the Bell County District attorney’s office.

This was very good police work by the officers involved and Korak did an outstanding job tracking the suspect, Sgt. Allen Teston, Public Information officer, said in a press release.

When asked if it felt good to be back at work, Korak responded with a healthy “woof.”

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