K9 Thoreau – Rhode Island State Police

Handler – Detective Adam J. Houston

Rhode Island State Police lose ‘great ambassador,’ dog that investigated child pornography

Thoreau was supposed to be a guiding eye dog, but found his true calling helping the police investigate child pornography. Trained to sniff out electronic gadgets, Thoreau joined the Rhode Island State Police in 2014, making Rhode Island only the second state in the country to employ a police dog with such skills. The Golden Labrador retired after conducting some 200 searches in cases related to child exploitation, cyber-crimes or terrorism.On Friday, the Rhode Island State Police announced on Facebook that Thoreau had died. “Thoreau was a great ambassador for RISP,” the post says, noting that the dog was featured in reports by “news agencies throughout the world,” including the New York Times and appeared on NBC’s “Today” show and the “NBC Nightly News.” “He was the star in many public speaking engagements and was always eager to lay down with a group of students during Internet safety presentations or provide comfort to a victim of a sex crime by simply sitting next to them,” the post says. Assisting the state police with a search warrant for the first time in June 2014, Thoreau sniffed out a thumb drive containing child pornography “hidden four layers deep in a tin box inside a metal cabinet,” The Journal reported in a July 2014 story. The discovery led to the police securing an arrested warrant. In May 2016, Thoreau’s handler, Detective Adam J. Houston received a commendation for an investigation that led to the arrest of 10 suspects. Houston completed 26 search warrants during the human-trafficking investigation.”Rest easy Thoreau,” the post says.

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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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