The K-9 Unit at Cottonwood PD, AZ has been revived by the arrival of Kratos, a 20-month-old mix between a German Shepherd and a Belgian Malinois, after the retirement of their previous K-9, Jax.
Cottonwood’s new K-9, originally from Holland, was successfully trained to do police patrols in Europe. He will be the partner of Officer Cory Shilling, and both Kratos and Officer Shilling will be certified as a team in 4-6 weeks’ time.
Kratos, who was named for the son of Zeus in the video game God of War, was a fortunate purchase for Cottonwood PD, as he was not originally for sale. Though he is brand-new to the department, he is a promising addition.
According to Officer Shilling, now that Kratos is joining the Cottonwood team, he will be “aiding in doing suspect apprehensions on patrol deployments, narcotic free-air sniffs of vehicles, handler protection, tracking, and article finds.”
Kratos’s purchase was made possible with contributions from both the NPDF and the Arizona Community Foundation. “The NPDF was critical in keeping the Cottonwood PD K-9 program going after their previous dog Jax’s retirement,” says Officer Shilling. “The NPDF funded half of Kratos’s purchasing costs, expediting the purchasing process by many months. Thank you so much for your generosity, NPDF!”
Written by Nicole Hymovitz
“NPDF is proud to assist K-9 units in the purchasing of dogs.”