K9 Axel – Charleston , West Virginia

Died – 8/27/22
Handler – Officer Clendenin

West Virginia Police Department Mourns Loss Of K-9 Axel

The funeral for Charleston K-9 officer Axel will take place Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Grand Hall of the Charleston Coliseum. Visitation will start at noon and is open to the public.According to city officials, Civic Center Drive will be accessible for Coliseum and Convention Center parking. Two lanes of Quarrier Street will be closed beginning at 11 a.m. at Clendenin Street.Charleston Police Chief James “Tyke” Hunt said K-9 Axel was shot Saturday at close range by wanted felon, 50-year-old Samuel Paul Ranson of Charleston.Police were dispatched to a home on East Point Drive late Saturday night. Hunt said Ranson was trying to flee when he shot the police dog within “arms reach” of two police officers, including Axel’s handler, Ptl. Clendenin.Hunt said the officers returned fire. Ranson, who was wanted on an active felony warrant of malicious wounding charges in connection with a recent stabbing, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.A procession for K-9 Axel was held on Sunday and Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin ordered city flags to be lowered to half staff in honor of the fallen K-9.Axel was one of six canines working with the police station. Born in the Czech Republic, the dog was brought to the department in early 2021 from a kennel in North Carolina.“I never want to see any loss of life in the city of Charleston,” said Hunt. Even for the family members of the offender, you know that’s still someone’s son, brother, grandchild. But for us, your police department, we lost an officer.”K-9 Axel will be honored during a funeral service later this week. Details will be announced by city officials.Hunt said the department will submit its full report on the shooting to the Kanawha County prosecutor’s office.

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Submitted By Jim Cortina

James A. Cortina has been involved with police dogs since 1972 and currently on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Jim has been appointed as Treasurer since its inception in 1991. Jim is one of the charter members of the C.P.W.D.A. organization. Since 1975 he has been a certified professional dog trainer and received his Master Trainer Certification in 1985. During his career he has provided armed K-9 strike crowd control for security agencies in Connecticut and out of state security companies. In conjunction with other members of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Board of Directors, he helped to draft Connecticut Statute 53-247(e) "Intentional Injury or Killing of Police K-9" which was passed by the Senate in 1993 and also assisted in implementing the prestigious Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award in 1992. In 1993 he helped coordinate the North American Police Work Dog Association Nationals in New London, Connecticut. He was appointed Training Director for the New London County Work Dog Association from 1985-1987. He performed decoy work for Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. in police K-9 demonstrations, trained several local police department canines, and coordinated training workshops for out-of-state police departments. He participated in the United States Police K-9 Association Trials in Croton on Hudson, New York in 1985 as a decoy. He is an avid photographer and received photography awards in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and currently takes photographs for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc.
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