Ajax just got three new colleagues, and he has a lot to teach them.
He’s a German shepherd in the Alexandria Police Department’s K-9 unit, the oldest unit of its kind in the greater Washington area, and his new co-workers are also dogs — a trio that just finished training.
A year ago, Ajax demonstrated his bravery by helping police capture a carjacker.
The man had stolen a car in Arlington and fled to Alexandria, where he hid in City Hall. Several meetings were going on when the suspect entered.
Ajax and his handler, Officer Carlos Rolon, went there along with a group of officers. The dog helped them find where the suspect was hiding, scratching and barking at the door.
The suspect finally opened the door, but refused to come out or show his hands to police. So Rolon released Ajax, who caught the carjacker.
The pair was given a Valor award in April because of their work together that day.
Ajax has been working with Rolon since 2004, and also lives with Rolon, along with three other dogs. When he retires next year, he will stay with his handler.
“At home, he’s just a pet,” Rolon said. “He loves running around, jumping in the water, in the pool.”
Rolon also trains police dogs for Alexandria. The training takes 14 to 16 weeks. Besides learning to be obedient to their handlers, the dogs improve their agility by jumping over 4-foot fences and climbing rope ladders. This helps prepare them for obstacles they might encounter on the job. Future police dogs are also trained to use their noses to track suspects, find missing persons and look for evidence.
After the first period of training, some dogs receive advanced training on finding narcotics and explosives. Rolon lets the dogs play with toys to reward them when they do well.
“This is all a game for them,” he said.
