K9 Hummer – Montgomery County, Texas

Died 7/16/21

Handler – Sergeant David Birch 

MCSO Says Goodbye To Longtime K-9 Partner Hummer

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said a bittersweet goodbye yesterday to one of its own K-9 partners due to a rare cancer diagnosis. K-9 Hummer has been a partner to Sergeant Birch in the Homeland Security Division of MCSO since September, 2014. Only a little over a year old at the time, K-9 Hummer proved a loyal and brave companion to Sergeant Birch through May 28, 2021, when K-9 Hummer retired after being diagnosed with a rare type of cancer. “Rest in Peace Hummer, you served with distinction and honor and we are all grateful for your contribution to the community you served,” read a statement from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. “Rest easy, you have earned it, we’ve got it from here.” Hummer was born in Holland, Texas on April 1, 2013, soon going into training to become a police dog. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hummer was certified in narcotics and patrol and partnered with Sergeant Birch. During his career, Hummer was instrumental to numerous narcotics arrests, searches, and seziures which have made the community a safer and better place to live. According to Lt. Scott Spencer with the Sheriff’s Office, Hummer “was one of those partners that criminals feared but kids and cops loved.”

 

Submitted By Jim Cortina

James A. Cortina has been involved with police dogs since 1972 and currently on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Jim has been appointed as Treasurer since its inception in 1991. Jim is one of the charter members of the C.P.W.D.A. organization. Since 1975 he has been a certified professional dog trainer and received his Master Trainer Certification in 1985. During his career he has provided armed K-9 strike crowd control for security agencies in Connecticut and out of state security companies. In conjunction with other members of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. Board of Directors, he helped to draft Connecticut Statute 53-247(e) "Intentional Injury or Killing of Police K-9" which was passed by the Senate in 1993 and also assisted in implementing the prestigious Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award in 1992. In 1993 he helped coordinate the North American Police Work Dog Association Nationals in New London, Connecticut. He was appointed Training Director for the New London County Work Dog Association from 1985-1987. He performed decoy work for Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. in police K-9 demonstrations, trained several local police department canines, and coordinated training workshops for out-of-state police departments. He participated in the United States Police K-9 Association Trials in Croton on Hudson, New York in 1985 as a decoy. He is an avid photographer and received photography awards in 1989, 1990, and 1991 and currently takes photographs for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc.