K9 Kempi – Waco, Texas

Died – 11/18/21

Handler –  Officer Vern Darlington

‘End of Watch’ announced for Waco Police Department’s K9 Kempi

The Waco Police Department announced the “End of Watch” for its K9 Kempi. According to the Police Department, K9 Kempi was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor and passed away on Nov. 18. A private funeral will be held for K9 Kempi on Dec. 16 The Police Department says K9 Kempi enjoyed the past year in retirement. K9 Kempi was born in the Netherlands and started serving as a personal protection dog when he came to the United States. While serving as a personal protection dog, he and his owner were in a helicopter crash. His owner did not survive and the family returned K9 Kempi to the kennel where he was found. However, the kennel felt that with K9 Kempi’s experience, he would make a great police dog. In March of 2014, K9 Kempi began working with Waco Police as certified as a dual-purpose canine. K9 Kempi proved to be a tremendous asset to the Waco PD where he specialized in narcotics detention and patrol. Throughout his time, K9 Kempi was responsible for 112 apprehensions, 244 narcotics sniffs, recovering and assisting in the following:

  • 6,310 grams of marijuana
  • 4,676.96 grams of cocaine
  • 45.31 grams of heroin
  • 5,589.11 grams of methamphetamine
  • 353.27 grams of ecstasy
  • 1,130.86 grams of misc. narcotics/pills
  • $36,147 in US currency
  • 89 Building Searches for suspects
  • 48 Area Searches for suspects
  • 28 Article Searches for evidence
  • 69 Tracks for suspects
  • 766 Misc. and warrant deployments
  • Responded to 1,428 calls for service
  • Participated in 863 hours of training

“K9s are just as valued as officers at the Waco Police Department and loved by not only those at WPD but in the community as well. This is a hard loss for all and K9 Kempi will truly be missed,” said the Police Department.

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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.
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