K9 Dash – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Died 2/14/16
Handler – Officer Smith

Broken Arrow Police dog passes away

Officers with the Broken Arrow Police Department said one of their police dogs died this week. A post on their Facebook page said K-9 Dash suffered from a brain tumor. “K-9 Dash EOW 2-14-16. Thank you for your service to the citizens of Broken Arrow you will be missed……from Dash’s Partner Officer Smith. There is an unfortunate end that awaits every K9 handler. The wonderful joys of chasing bad guys together is balanced by one day having to say a final goodbye. This evening I had to make the choice to send K9 Dash off ahead of me and end his recent suffering. The last few weeks he had been experiencing seizures most likely caused by a brain tumor. Today he suffered a severe stroke and just could not continue his good fight. ‘”And when our time together is done, and you move on in the world, remember me with kind thoughts and tales. For a time we were unbeatable, nothing passed among us undetected. If we should meet again, on another street, I will gladly take up your fight. I am a Police Working Dog and together, we are Guardians Of The Night.'”

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.