Citrus Heights Police K9 service dog remembered for ‘incredible legacy’

By Sara Beth Williams–
A retired Citrus Heights police service K9 credited with saving lives and taking down an armed gunman, has passed away, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department.

The police department announced March 19 that the dog, Axel, passed away in a social media post to their official account and praised the K9 for his “incredible legacy.”

“We remember him as a true hero who served the officers of the Citrus Heights Police Department and our community with unwavering courage, loyalty, and dedication,” the department said in a statement. Axel served in the department as a K9 officer from 2016 to 2020.

Axel was awarded a Medal of Valor for his “heroic” actions in 2019, a moment that not only saved his handler’s life but safeguarded many others, police said.

As reported by The Sentinel in July 2019, officers responded to a call regarding a handgun being fired near the area of Sunrise Boulevard and Arcadia Drive. Officers located a man running east on Greenback Lane towards the Burger King restaurant on the 8000 block of Greenback Lane, but the man was uncooperative when officers attempted to contact him. A police K9 unit was released in an effort to “safely apprehend the reportedly armed subject,” police said.

“As the K9 was running towards the suspect, the suspect turned towards the K9 and the officers while still running, and fired a shot in their direction,” police said in a news release at the time. The K9 was shot at twice “at point blank range” and the suspect then fired towards officers, according to police.

The suspect’s actions caused police to return fire, and the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene by Metro Fire personnel. Although Axel was initially thought to have been injured by a bullet wound to the head, police later said a vet determined that blood on the dog’s head was from the suspect and not from a gunshot wound.

The Medal of Valor Award is given by the North American Police Work Dog Association (NAPWDA) and recognizes “exceptional bravery and service” by K-9 teams, according to the agency’s website. This award is typically given to police K-9 handlers and their dogs who have demonstrate extraordinary courage, heroism, and dedication in the line of duty.

Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte said in an interview Wednesday many handlers’ K-9 partners become part of the handler’s family and are often officially adopted once the K-9 officer retires. In Axel’s case, he remained with the handler’s family as a “cherished” companion.

On social media, over 100 community members responded with praise for Axel’s service and condolences for the loss. Turcotte said canine officers who pass on are memorialized in a monument in front of the Citrus Heights Police Department, where he said Axel’s name will be added to the monument. The monument currently lists seven canines.

“Axel’s bravery was extraordinary—his fearless spirit and devotion to duty embodied everything a police K9 should be,” police said.

Currently, the Citrus Heights Police K-9 Unit is led by Sgt. Jacob Stadelman and Lt. Shaun Gualco. The unit currently has three K-9 handlers partnered with their purebred German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois canines, according to the City of Citrus Heights.

All dogs used by the Police Department undergo hundreds of hours of training and multiple tests before being certified, and both canines and handlers continue ongoing training to maintain skills, according to the city’s website. Each canine is also cross-trained in criminal apprehension and narcotics detection.

Related: An inside look at the Citrus Heights Police Department’s K-9 unit – Citrus Heights Sentinel