CF Police Officer Nyce grows alongside K9 partner Max

Not only has Max, a German Shepherd who became the department’s first K9 officer at one-and-a-half-years old, grown in his relationship with his handler, but within the department and the community as a whole.

“We have a cage in back, but he never goes in it,” Mr. Nyce said with a laugh.

Whether running upstairs to greet staff at Village Hall or visiting the mayor, Max has become more recognizable than even his fellow officers. “People know his name everywhere,” Mr. Nyce, 48, said.

Kids typically “light up” when he visits them at the Chagrin Falls schools, where they ask questions about him or share with Mr. Nyce stories of their own dogs. Max helps to break down walls and open lines of communication with law enforcement. “It opens doors and leads to general law enforcement questions they may not be as comfortable talking about,” he said.

Max, who is trained in narcotics detection, general patrol, building searches and tracking, also makes Mr. Nyce a better officer, he said. “He’s improved my tactics,” Mr. Nyce said. “I have to re-learn how to do everything one handed.” That is because he always has to account for Max when on calls. “I can shoot one handed a lot better now,” he said.

Mr. Nyce also thinks through situations more, having Max by his side, especially during building searches, for example. “I have to account for the dog and the safety of the officers and slow down and think,” Mr. Nyce said. “There is a lot of thought involved and that has made me improve as an officer. Max has made me better.”

He is also Mr. Nyce’s constant companion, with eyes always on his handler. The two have formed a “super-strong” bond as a result, he said. “I spend more time with him than my wife and kids,” Mr. Nyce said.

Max, who is now five and a half years old, has joined the Nyce family on vacations and shares his home with Mr. Nyce’s dog Carter, a lab pit bull mix. A friendly, calm dog, Max is approachable to anyone, Mr. Nyce said, especially when he is walking through the streets of Chagrin Falls, in Rivrside Park or at the schools, for example.

“He has the type of personality where he can read a situation,” Mr. Nyce said, such as a visit to Gurney where he is swarmed by 100 kids. “He has such a friendly personality,” he said, but can turn it on and off when needed.

Chief Amber Dacek said Max is an invaluable asset to the department. “We are very fortunate to have found a dog that excels at tracking and performing police work, while at the same time remains gentle and approachable to the public,” she said.

Mr. Nyce said Max is supported by the village administration as well as the police chief and lietenant.

“He is fun to have around the station, and is loved by all who interact with him,” Chief Dacek added.

Max has also demonstrated his skills on numerous calls, more recently tracking a felony warrant suspect who had ran in the woods in nearby Bentleyville. “We went there and it was as if he had night vision,” Mr. Nyce said of Max. “He found him almost instantly.” The suspect, who officers were cautioned for violent tendencies, basically surrendered, and no one was injured.

“It seems like every day he does something and I think ‘wow, that dog is smart,’” Mr. Nyce said.

And while Max is not a therapy dog per se, he has provided much-needed emotional support on difficult calls, Mr. Nyce said, calming people down due to his personality.

Bringing Max to calls is dependent on the call itself, Mr. Nyce continued. “It has to be the right call,” he said. “Not every call is a dog call.”

Mr. Nyce noted that Max, at 80 pounds, is a locating tool not a weapon. The two have provided mutual aid to surrounding communities throughout his time on the force. “He would absolutely protect me,” if needed, Mr. Nyce said.

The two train together every day, practicing everything from drug and building searches to traffic situations and tracking.

Max, who hails from Holland and is in perfect health, was made possible by private donations. He will be part of the department’s Touch a Truck event, performing a demo at the event, which will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 11 at the Chagrin Falls High School stadium.

“I want to keep him out in the public,” Mr. Nyce said, and continue to watch him grow with the department.

“It was a dream of mine,” to have a K9 partner, and in a perfect world, the two will retire together one day.

“Having Max is the culmination of my career,” Mr. Nyce said. “I’m still amazed by all he does.”