AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Dogs are known as man’s best friend. To a police officer, they’re also a valuable partner.
In Airway Heights, police officers in multiple roles are aided by their dogs, known as K-9s. From counseling crime victims to tracking down narcotics, K-9s are a crucial part of the Airway Heights Police Department.
But regardless of the task at hand, the one thing that makes it all work is the unbreakable bond between K-9s and their handlers.
“I am with that dog 24/7, 365,” Airway Heights Police Department Corporal Mike Ziegler said. “I am always with the dog. The bond is instrumental. That dog will do anything to complete the mission.”
Ziegler has been the handler for two dogs while with the police department. His first K-9, Austin, died in 2021 after retirement.
“Austin was my heart dog,” Ziegler said. “Usually, one person and one dog in your life is your heart dog, and he meant everything to me.”
After Austin retired, Ziegler bought him from the City of Airway Heights — for just $1.
That’s common practice in Airway Heights, and for many police departments across the country. After a K-9 completes its years of service, the family of its handler gets the first opportunity to take care of it during retirement.
K-9s do more than basic police work. In Airway Heights, Crisis Response Team Officer Kayla Franck’s K-9 Tonks helps support victims of crimes.
People don’t hesitate to let Franck know that Tonks is a perfect fit for the role.
“I had one individual tell me that meeting her was like therapy to her and made her really happy and actually made her cry,” Franck said. “That was an interesting moment and kinda felt like this was… definitely her job.”
Clay Pierson is a patrol officer for the Airway Heights Police Department. He adopted his K-9 Brandi when she retired. Unlike people, K-9s don’t exactly chose when to retire, and this retirement wasn’t well received by everyone.
“You get your uniform on, and you say alright it’s time to go to work, let’s go to work, and they’re all excited and they’re ready to go,” Pierson said. “When she retired, I was still working. When she saw me put that uniform on, and I never told her that it’s not time to go to work anymore, she sulked for a good probably week, maybe two weeks.”
It’s a hard transition for many K-9s.
“They know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to be at home,” Ziegler said. “And they’re two totally different dogs.”
Franck wasn’t necessarily always destined to be a K-9 officer. In fact, she wasn’t sold on the idea of having a dog at her side all day until she saw how it could help the crisis program.
“I lived with one, as a roommate, and it was a lot of work,” Franck said. “And I said that’s not something I think I want to do one day. But once I got into the crisis program and realized that there was another need in law enforcement, I wanted to add a dog to it.”
While K-9s are highly trained police officers, they’re also dogs with quirks and personalities just like any other.
“(Tonks) loves going to Lowe’s and picking out their one dog toy that they have,” Franck said. “So, now we have multiples of them at home, because that’s the only dog toy that she loves to pick out on her own. It’s a big giant chicken. So, we have these giant stuffed chickens at home.”
Some of those quirks are familiar to anyone who has a pet.
“Dogs are just like humans: they have good days, they bad days,” Pierson said. “You know, they wake up and they have their coffee, and it might be a good day, it might not.”
Ziegler has been accompanied by his K-9 Roy since Austin retired. He and Roy make a good team, but the transition wasn’t effortless.
“I always heard that your second dog is always the hardest because you’re always comparing back to your first dog,” Ziegler said. “I was like ‘nah, nah,’ but it’s true.”
Roy is now poised to retire in the spring, and this transition won’t be any easier.
“I’ve had a dog behind my head for the last 16 years, and now I won’t,” Ziegler said. “That’s going to be super hard for me. Last week, Roy went in to have some surgery done… and I didn’t have Roy with me. It was strange. I didn’t like it.”
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