K9 Kona – Reedley, California

Died 7/6/23
Handler – Officer Nava

Missing Reedley Police K9 found dead

A Reedley Police K9 was found dead on Thursday night after he escaped from his Visalia home on the Fourth of July. The Reedley Police Department says K9 officer Kona’s body was found on Avenue 280 and Road 148, just outside of Visalia. Officials say it appears that Kona was hit by a vehicle before he managed to crawl into a nearby orchard, where he later died. Kona had an AirTag tracking device on him which fell off in the area where he was later found dead. “Despite our best efforts, we were unable to provide the happy reunion we all wished for,” the department wrote in a statement. Police say video surveillance shows Kona pushed wooden fence panels to get out of the backyard when fireworks were set off. The California Highway Patrol will be working to figure out if a hit-and-run report will be taken in Kona’s death. Kona is one of two K9s in the department. He was set to retire from police service this August.

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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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