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Fulton County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Twidwell and "OSU."
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WIU Alumnus Named Fulton County Canine Officer

October 10, 2016

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MACOMB, IL - When Western Illinois University alumnus Josh Twidwell first came to campus in 2012, he arrived with a strong desire to become a police officer. With that goal now achieved, Twidwell has expanded his skills and incorporated his love of dogs into his job as a Fulton County Sheriff's deputy, recently being named the department's canine officer.

"The whole reason I came to Western was for the law enforcement program; I didn't want to go anywhere else," said Twidwell, a 2014 graduate with a degree in law enforcement and justice administration (LEJA) and a minor in sociology.

On Sept. 13, Twidwell's new Belgian malinois canine companion, OSU, was sworn in during a Fulton County Board meeting. OSU now joins Twidwell on the job patrolling Fulton County highways.

OSU is trained in building searches, tracking, drug detection, article searches, obedience and aggression control. The 2-year-old canine was paired with Twidwell at a training facility in Decatur, IL, after being chosen for police training from the Vohne Liche Kennels in Indiana.

The dog, the training he and Twidwell completed and a specially-equipped SUV patrol vehicle were paid for by a grant from an anonymous donor.

After Twidwell attended a private college for two years, the Plymouth, IL, native transferred to Western. He said he appreciated the opportunity Western gave him to get involved in law enforcement-related clubs, including the Criminal Investigators Club.

"I felt like a small fish in a big pond," Twidwell said of acclimating to college. "But after becoming the president of the WIU Criminal Investigators Club and getting to work with some of Western's faculty, I soon adjusted and became comfortable at the school."

Twidwell said the faculty in WIU's LEJA department also helped him get the internship he truly wanted, working for the Fulton County Sheriff's Department in Lewistown, IL.

"The internship let me explore all of the different departments involved in law enforcement, which gave me more perspective on which department I wanted to be a part of," said Twidwell. "The internship also allowed me to get real world experience in the field."

After Twidwell received his degree from Western, he immediately began working for Fulton County.

"I just knew that was what I wanted to do," he said. "There is always something new and it's exciting and fun every day. There is nothing else I would rather do."

Twidwell credits WIU and its faculty for helping him realize his career dream.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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