K9 Arc - West Jefferson, OH PD
Imported from Frankfurt Germany at the age of 1.5 years
Accomplishments while in Germany, earning IPO I title in Schutzhund.
Upon arrival to United States, submitted through Police Handler Training at Stormdog Tactical
Training Center, Sunbury Ohio. Graduated with handler, Brandon Smith and earned OPOTA Police
K9 Certifications in 2013.
K9 Arc faithfully served the West Jefferson Police Department alongside his handler, Brandon
Smith, with distinction, professionalism, and exceptional effectiveness. Throughout his career, K9
Arc completed a total of 185 official deployments, demonstrating reliability, control, and advanced
detection capabilities.
Following six years of dedicated service, K9 Arc transitioned from duty to a well-earned retirement
on June 30, 2018.
He returned home to his devoted and supportive family, where unlimited kitchen privileges,
backyard ball time, and trips to his favorite running fields await. And finally, Arc’s long-kept career
secret, he now reunites full-time with his lifelong best friend, “Lil-Kitty”, their family cat.
K9 Arc served his family in retirement and crossed the rainbow bridge on November 1, 2023. He
had developed a neurologic disease that progressed with age, and began effecting his quality of life,
causing discomfort.
K9 Mattis - Alpharetta, GA PD
K9 Mattis was a German Shepherd who served as a police dog with the Alpharetta Police Department in Georgia, partnering with his handler, Sergeant Mark Tappan.
The duo gained widespread popularity, amassing over five million social media followers across platforms.
Mattis served for six years as a dual-purpose K9, specializing in patrol apprehension, tracking, and narcotics detection, before retiring in 2021.
He was the most decorated dog in the department's history, earning awards such as Officer of the Year and the Director's Award.
Mattis also received a Purple Heart for his service.
In 2020, Mattis and Tappan competed on and won Season 1 of A&E's reality competition series "America's Top Dog."
Post-retirement, they continued community outreach, including events through organizations like Project K9 Hero, where they served as role models for the K9 profession.
Together, they authored two books: the children's book "K9 Mattis on the Job: A Day in the Life of a Police Dog" (released in 2024) and the inspirational title "A Dog Named Mattis: 12 Lessons for Living Courageously, Serving Selflessly, and Building Bridges from a Hero Police K-9."
Mattis passed away on August 10, 2025, at the age of 12 following a battle with kidney disease.
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