Amidst a backdrop of historical baggage and cultural sensitivity, the Los Angeles City Council has decided to turn down a donation of two police service dogs. The K9s in question, trained by a company called Adlerhorst International, were rejected due to the company's name, which shares its nomenclature with Adolf Hitler's notorious bunker during World War II. According to a report from CBS News, Councilman Bob Blumenfield voiced his disquiet, saying, "But what I'm concerned about is that this company, called Adlerhorst International, is the name of the Nazi bunker used by Adolf Hitler during World War II."
Blumenfield further elaborated on his stance stating, "I don't know that's the intent of this company, but in reality it's a creepy name that shouldn't be associated with a company like this. They've had plenty of time to deal with it, and I can't support doing business with a company that's glorifying Hitler's bunker." The decision has since sent the donation back to the City Council's Public Safety committee for further discussion, and the Los Angeles Police Foundation, which provided the nearly $27,000 funding for the dogs, has been requested to report on the origin of the animals. Community activists also raised concerns regarding the use of police dogs against Americans of color, as reported by The Los Angeles Times.
Michael Reaver, Adlerhorst International's president, defended his position, stating his father was unaware of the connotations when he named the company in the 1970s. "There is absolutely zero consideration for anything Nazi here in Jurupa Valley," Reaver told CBS News, adding both he and his father's veteran status as contextual credibility. Meanwhile, activists like Jason Reedy from People’s City Council have urged the necessity for a "deeper dive" into the Police Foundation's donations beyond this incident.
Despite the company's name being a source of contention, Adlerhorst has trained numerous K9s for law enforcement agencies including the famed Cairo, the Belgian Malinois who was part of the Seal Team 6 operation that killed Osama Bin Laden. Reaver, echoing his sentiment in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, affirmed, "We have no affiliation with any Nazi anything, we're just like everyone else, we look back at the Nazis and we consider that to be a horrible period of mankind." He highlighted that German entities commonly utilize the Adlerhorst moniker and it holds no direct association with the Nazi Party in contemporary Germany.
In contrast to Reaver's defense, Councilman Blumenfield remains firm on his stance, insisting the City of Los Angeles should avoid doing business with a company with such a name. The controversy brings forth a complex interaction between historical connotations, societal responsibilities, and the principles guiding public institutions in their external affiliations. The Board of Police Commissioners has not commented on the Adlerhorst controversy but has expressed willingness to assist the public safety committee in the evaluation process.
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