K9 Aja – University of North Carolina

Handler – Sgt. David Combs

UNCG’s first police dog dies; credited with catching several suspects

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro Police Department started its K-9 Unit in 2007. Its first K-9 was Aja the German Shepherd. She joined the force at just 10 months. Her K-9 handler was Sgt. David Combs. Both Aja and Combs retired together in 2013 — officers said it was only right for the dynamic pair to leave together. Aja served six years with UNCG police. After leaving, she remained in the care of her handler, Combs. In the years after her retirement, Aja participated in the Guilford County Pet Responsibility Program, where students learned how to take care of animals through hands-on interaction. But this week, members of the UNCG Police Department received some upsetting news. “We’ve had employees crying here because they loved Aja so much,” said Sgt. Marcus Graves, who works with the campus police K-9 unit. “And she will be greatly missed.” Aja passed away after battling a long-term spinal cord disease. Graves said Aja was taken to a veterinarian who had no other choice but to euthanize her due to complications with her disease. But Aja’s contribution to UNCG police is seen in the legacy she leaves behind. “She built, basically, the canine program for the UNCG Police Department off her success,” Graves said. “She set the foundation so that we could have more K-9s. Both her and Sgt. Combs did.” When Aja joined the force, she was used not only for UNCG police, but for neighboring police agencies as well. The department states while serving, Aja helped police seize “nearly six pounds of marijuana, 30 grams of crack cocaine, various amounts of other narcotics, $31,945 in cash, 46 items of drug paraphernalia, five guns and one car. Aja also made seven criminal apprehensions after tracking suspects.” Graves says Aja proved herself to be a valuable asset in policing, and paved the way so the department could establish its K-9 program—a program that is molded by smaller cities and universities across the country. Currently, the campus police department has three K-9s: Jax, Tink and Sasha.

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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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