Bomb-Sniffing Dogs Headed To Openlands Lakeshore Preserve

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Bomb-sniffing dogs owned by the military are set to assist with the investigation into possible explosives at Openlands Lakeshore Preserve.

Officials at Naval Station Great Lakes notified representatives of Openlands, the Chicago-based nonprofit that owns the site, that the military dogs would be made available as soon as Thursday.

The preserve has been closed to the public for nearly three months following the discovery of what appeared to be an old hand grenade on the beach.

The Waukegan bomb squad detonated the item, although police were unsure if it was a live explosive or some kind of replica. Later in the week, more suspected munitions, possible from a flare, were discovered.

In May, a trio of bomb-sniffing dog teams Openlands hired to check out the area identified a new "area of concern," although the terrain conditions prevented the dogs from pinpointing the source.

Later that month, Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering sent a letter to the Navy requesting documents about the site.

The following week, City Manager Ghida Neukirch urged the Navy and the Army's base closure office to conduct an on-the-ground investigation and remove any additional explosives discovered.

Related:
City Urges Army To Find, Remove Explosives At Lakeshore Preserve
No End In Sight For Closure Of Openlands Lakeshore Preserve Beach
Suspected Grenade Found, Detonated At Highland Park Lakefront

Openlands has owned the 77-acre property on the site of the former Fort Sheridan military base since 1993.

To request military assistance, private entities must go through a process called Defense Support of Civil Authorities, or DSCA, according to military officials.

"Per the Navy’s requirement, requests regarding the investigation of Openlands Lakeshore Preserve must come through a government agency," according to a statement released Thursday by Openlands representatives.

"The City of Highland Park has graciously agreed to take the lead on this on Openlands’ behalf and continues to regularly reach out to the Navy with requests for a military investigation to identify and remove all remaining explosives."