Photos by Nate Hunter
Pouring rain didn’t deter Saturday’s K9 demo at Bartlett’s Quail Ridge.
K9 officer Azi, seen at the far right in mid-chomp, performed her final demo at the community event. She retires June 19 after seven years of service to the Bartlett Police Department and will be spending her golden years at home with K9 handler Tony Webb.
Lt. Todd Halford, who looks very glad to be in the hot but thick and protective “bite suit,” said Azi is a nine-year-old Belgian Malinois.
She, Halford and Webb were showing off her skills in stopping suspects in their tracks. Azi is a dual-purpose dog, trained for narcotic detection as well as apprehension, Halford said.
The demo was part of the Bartlett PD’s neighborhood social with property managers and residents, educating them on programs such as Neighborhood Watch, Citizen Academy and the VIPS program.
Halford described officer Azi’s K9 skills simply: “No one has outrun her yet.”
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via email to carolyn.bahm@journalinc.com.
