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The Fairfax County Police Department announced March 10 that K9 Max, a German Shepherd remembered as both a formidable police dog and a gentle companion, had died.
Max served with the department for eight years, from 2012 until his retirement in early 2020. Working alongside his handler, PFC Matthew “Kyle” Kunstel, he apprehended dangerous suspects and supported the department’s SWAT K9 operations.
Away from police work, Max took part in demonstrations that delighted local children. The department described him as a “gentle giant as well as a serious police officer.”
In a 2018 profile, Kunstel said a trained K9 could locate suspects who otherwise might escape. He called a successful apprehension by a handler-and-dog team especially rewarding and described a police dog as a resource unavailable to other officers.
Max lived with Kunstel’s family when he was not patrolling. He retired at age 9½ after Kunstel was promoted out of the K9 Unit.
The Czech Republic-born dog remained part of the family in retirement, serving as a loyal companion and mentor to the household’s other K9s.