“Tails” of K9: Meet Ajax
Meet Ajax, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois police service dog. At just 8 months old, he displayed quality traits and a temperament ideal for police work. Ajax was chosen for his strong play drive, agility, and intelligence, and became the youngest canine ever purchased by the San Diego Police Department.
Like most of our police service dogs, Ajax can clear areas before officers approach on foot and perform searches for fleeing and hidden suspects in urban areas, canyons, or buildings. Because these canines can cover up to four times the distance as their human partners, each dog saves SDPD nearly 700 service hours annually. Ajax is also cross-trained in explosive detection, making him a strategic addition to the K9 Unit’s Special Response Canine (SRC) team, which accompanies SWAT on high-risk calls.
One evening, the K9 Unit responded to a call of an erratic individual running through the streets with a knife, posing a risk to public safety. Ajax assisted in locating and apprehending the suspect, which allowed officers to safely confiscate the weapon. The armed suspect is now in jail for attempted murder and multiple domestic violence charges. Police service dogs like Ajax help keep the community safe.
Ajax was generously donated through the Police Foundation by K9 Champions, Ellen and Barry Scott.
Like police officers, police canines have diverse specialties and serve various units. The “Tails” of K9 series highlights K9 Crimefighters that serve SDPD and our community.