Wauconda cop, dog win Olympics

Sgt. John Combs and his partner Maxx work well together protecting residents as members of the Wauconda Police Department.

But the pair also has proved themselves on another stage — an Olympic stage.

Combs and his canine partner recently won first place in the individual and team events at the Illinois Regional Canine Olympics, a title they have earned three out of four years.

He attributes their success to experience.

“Maxx and I have a relationship. I read him and he reads me. We have a good balance,” he said.

Dogs have often been part of Combs' life. In fact, he said he would not be alive if it were not for one.

“We had a collie who pulled me out of a pool when I was around 2 years old. I crawled out, fell in the pool. The dog picked up what he thought was a doll at the time and it was me,” he said.

A patrol officer for 13 years, Combs began working with Maxx in 2004 to serve as another asset to the department, whether it be further drug investigations, tracking people who are missing or who flee from police, or assist in crowd control. He also can search vast areas that would take hours to search, but in a shorter period of time.

“He is what we call an all-purpose working dog,” Combs said.

Since he came to Wauconda, Maxx has trained with Combs at TOPS Training in Grayslake. It is Alex Rothacker, owner at TOPS, who also created an annual Olympic competition for handlers and their dogs, which took place this year Aug. 20 and 21 in Holiday Hills. Combs said it is an all-encompassing competition for what they could do on the job.

“The competition challenges us in every aspect of what we do, from driving to shooting to being able to control the dog off lead. It covers our tracking. It covers drugs. It covers various obstacles,” he said.

The competition entails individual events, including a 45-minute run that encompasses driving, running and completing obstacles and team events where they are paired with another competitor.

Among the challenges, Combs explains he must send Maxx through a doorway 40 feet away, where Maxx must run through the doorway but run around a pedestal that sits as an obstacle and return to his handler. Maxx then must run again to the doorway, but the second time jump onto a pedestal. Combs added that this, and all obstacles, must be done through verbal commands.

“The dog is being confused. If you don't have the verbal commands to get him to do it, it becomes difficult,” he said.

Many challenges test Combs' strength but also Maxx's ability to stay calm. For another obstacle, Combs had to swim 50 yards across a body of water, where he must control Maxx, who must stay atop a box, pull the dog and pull tires that are strapped behind the box.

Commander Ted Hennessey, who watched the competition, calls it grueling.

“It made me feel guilty that I was watching it because they (handlers) were working so hard. It is harder for these guys than it is for the dogs,” he said. “They are an outstanding team. It is fun to watch. It is a testament to how hard he works all year long.”

Combs and Maxx competed among five other teams, including Jim Mazur of Gurnee and partner Shane, who took second place.

Mazur said officers and canines don't often get to work with other departments. So it is good to see what makes their teams work.

“They mesh well together,” he said. “They work through problems quickly. He can read his dog well, see issues and resolve them. It makes them a good team.”

While they are competitive, Mazur adds that, in competition, they support and motivate one another and learn from each how to work well with their partner.

“We are there to support each other, to build up the brotherhood between handlers and to become the best handlers we can,” he said.

Only one minute separated Combs and Mazur from first and second. Combs added that all teams give their full effort, so he is quick to not boast about success.

“I just happen to this year, by the skin of my teeth, be able to pull it off,” he said. “The other people that I competed against are phenomenal handlers. It is not an easy task.”

The competitors also included teams from Round Lake, McHenry County Sheriff's Office and a civilian trainer.

While the two days are exhausting, Combs loves the challenge to keep improving.

“I take it more as a challenge to myself,” he said. “Can I keep the level of training and knowledge and understanding up to the quality of being able to compete in a competition like this?”

Combs said it was the training that has made Maxx well equipped to handle anything on the job. It is the competition that reinforces what they are capable of doing.

“Winning the competition does not make us better as a team, but gives us confidence we've done the right things in training to get where we're at,” he said.