REST IN PEACE — Sgt. Lloyd Locke poses with Zena, who died suddenly two weeks after retiring from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
 ‘Zena was the only dog in the state who had found explosives that led to a federal conviction,’
said Randolph County Sheriff Maynard Reid. Retired from duty on 2/6/12.

Zena, age nine and a half, was an explosives dog and tracker. Zena a German Shepherds had served seven years on duty with the sheriff’s office. When Zena died, Hicks and a Guilford County deputy who had trained with them, took a body bag to the hospital and transported Zena in a patrol car to the crematorium. “It’s kind of a last rite for us,” Hicks said. “Then we make the traditional radio call when we are ending duty or after an officer’s funeral.” Zena is 10-42. Zena was an asset to the department,” said Sheriff Maynard Reid. “Zena was the only dog in the state who had found explosives that led to a federal conviction. Inks had found more than $1 million in drug money.” Zena was totally loyal and dedicated to her handler and loved her job. Zena was also a tracker and found lost children and elderly adults who had wandered off. Zena came from Europe with a tattoo in her ear. She had been carefully chosen as a pup by Beck K-9 in Fayetteville to be their showcase dog. When Locke showed up for training, he saw Zena and wanted her. She liked him, but all dogs like Locke. It took some doing, he said, but he got her and they bonded from the beginning. Zena and Locke went on to become nationally certified by Homeland Security and, even tougher, he said, nationally certified by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and were on call for those departments. It wasn’t easy for Locke to talk about Zena last week. Losing her was too fresh. “There will never be another Zena. She was unusual. She was a fantastic dog,” Locke said. Zena’s family, which was Locke, his wife, April, and their 17-year old daughter, had placed a loving memorial tribute to her in The Courier-Tribune on March 4. Zena had her own room with her cage in the Locke house and they catered to her. “She demanded her food on schedule. When it was time to eat, she didn’t care if you were asleep or what you were doing, somebody was going to feed her,” Locke said fondly. “She was a vocal girl. When I talked on the (patrol car) radio, she talked from the back seat.” Sheriff Reid once joked that if he could teach Zena to write a report, he wouldn’t need Locke. “At home she was our pet, but when I put on a uniform, she knew it was time to go work and was waiting at the door,” Locke said. Zena’s reputation was made when she found eight grenades and a homemade explosive device in Randolph County and then tracked the suspects, who were later convicted in federal court. Locke also recalled a shooting on Tabernacle Church Road where he and Zena were called to find the shell casings —   little .22-caliber casings — in a field about the size of a football field. Zena found all three. He laughed as he told another Zena story. Asheboro police called them to locate a weapon. Zena walked straight to row of shrubbery and stopped. Officers had searched that area and the gun couldn’t be that close to the scene. “I said, ‘Zena, show me,’ and I could see she was indignant when she stuck her nose right on the pistol grip,” Locke said. During the last presidential election, Locke and Zena were part of the security of then vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden when he spoke in Greenville. Former Asheboro Police Officer Terry Jones, who now runs K-9 Solutions, a law enforcement training facility in Moore County, and his explosives dog were also on the team. “It was tedious. We inspected every inch of the airport, every person coming or going and every vehicle in the motorcade. The cars were inspected, moved to a secure location and no one, not even Secret Service, could go near them until they were ready to roll,” Locke said. “Then Zena alerted on the door of the highway patrol cruiser that would lead the motorcade. She insisted and the Secret Service agents panicked. The trooper opened his door and there in a compartment was a box of bullets he had put in there when he was issued the car and had forgotten them.” Locke said even the food that would be served at the dinner had to be inspected. “I kept thinking how embarrassed I would be if Zena took a bite of something,” Locke laughed at that memory. Zena was a beautiful, dignified dog who loved her work. She and Locke put on demonstrations at schools, at the zoo and for organizations. She was also a tracking dog who found lost children and adults. She and Locke responded to bomb threats. They worked the Coca-Cola 600 and other NASCAR races. Part of her training was to be oblivious to noise, so Locke would take her to the shooting range. She never blinked at gunfire or racetrack noise. The last day Zena worked, she fell trying to jump into the car. The first week off work, she would lie in front of the door from the time Locke left until he got home. “She loved to work. Her heart and mind wanted to go, but her body just couldn’t do it,” Locke said. Zena was Locke’s second dog. He has been with the sheriff’s office for 19 years, 16 of them with a dog. When his first dog, Baron, retired, Locke adopted him and “my wife has completely spoiled him.” Locke has become a certified trainer and will probably continue to train other dogs at K-9 Solutions, but will not have another K-9 partner. But, he will get another German Shepherd. “I have had Shepards since I was a little boy. I got one out of a car that had wrecked and the dog wouldn’t let anyone near the man, who was hurt,” Locke said. “We took care of the dog while the owner was in the hospital and later, he gave Prince to me.” Locke said he and German Shepherds just seem to understand each other. They are special to him, he said, but Zena was the best. “There will never be another Zena.”  By Mary Anderson manderson@courier-tribune.com
 submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA