K9 Bear – Boone County, Iowa

Handler – Sgt. Dallas Wingate
Handler of K9 who died has resigned from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office

Boone County Sgt. Dallas Wingate has resigned about a week after reporting the death of his K9 partner, Bear. The Boone County Board of Supervisors was expected to accept his resignation at a meeting Wednesday. It would be effective Sept. 8. Bear’s death was reported to Boone County Sheriff Gregg Elsberry on Sept. 2, he told KCCI. Wingate had been placed on administrative leave a few days prior, and the dog was in his possession when he died, the sheriff told the TV station. Elsberry told the Ames Tribune he asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Bear’s death. He also asked for a necropsy on Bear, to be done at Iowa State University, in order to determine the cause and manner of death. “This needs to be done from an outside agency for transparency and thoroughness,” Elsberry said. The sheriff declined to comment further. DCI spokesperson Mitch Mortvedt also declined to comment, citing an active investigation. Wingate and another K9 partner, Bandit, were instrumental in locating the suspect and convicted killer in the death of Iowa State University golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena in 2018.

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.