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Died – 6/24/19
Handler – Officer Andy Jirtcil
Community mourns TPD’s first SWAT K9, Jake
Tucson Police Department is mourning the loss of the department’s first SWAT K9 officer after he passed away on Monday. According to TPD, K9 Jake joined the department in 2011 when he was 3 years old. The department’s first Belgian Malinois quickly made an impression on the community. From locating attempted murder suspects to alerting the officers to narcotics hidden away in vehicles, Jake and his handler, Officer Andy Jirtcil continued keeping the Old Pueblo safe throughout his nearly six years of service – officially retiring from the force in 2016. Jake and his handler, Officer Birtcil, have been one of the most successful K-9 teams in department history. Officer Birtcil and Jake were the first to integrate K-9 tactics into the Tucson Police SWAT team. The relationship between Jake and SWAT had been so successful that several other K-9 teams have since been certified to deploy in this manner. Over the years, Jake effected hundreds of apprehensions. In 2012, an officer in Operations Division South attempted to stop a car full of armed individuals. The car failed to stop and the occupants eventually ran from the vehicle on foot. One of the occupants fired several rounds at the officer striking the officer’s driver seat. Officer Birtcil and Jake were on point for the manhunt that followed. Jake located the suspect hiding under a minivan in a residential backyard and safely apprehended the suspect who later faced attempted murder charges. Later in 2012, Officer Birtcil and Jake responded to an assault on an officer that led to a vehicle pursuit. The suspect eventually fled the vehicle on foot. Again, K-9 Jake was on point and located the suspect hiding in a cactus patch. Without regard for his safety, Jake entered the cactus patch and apprehended the suspect. Jake’s only reward for the apprehension was a few extra hours with his handler as he removed cactus needles with a multi-tool. Finally, during a traffic stop early in his career, Jake alerted Officer Birtcil to the possible presence of narcotics in a vehicle that was stopped by police. A search of that vehicle revealed over $200,000 of drug money. Jake has worked hard for the Tucson Police Department, our community, and his handler. He has, through his actions, saved lives and prevented our officers from injury. According to TPD, the pup enjoyed three years of retirement before he passed away on June 24, 2019.
