K9 Kinni – Yates, New York

Died 8/16/23
Handler – Deputy Jensen

K9 Officer Kinni passes away following surgery: Yates Sheriff’s Office mourns loss

K9 Kinni, a valued member of the Yates County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO), sadly passed away on August 16, 2023, following emergency surgery. The 13-year-old Shepherd/Malinois mix, who had performed a K9 demonstration at a local school that same morning, suddenly fell ill in the afternoon. Despite the efforts of Eastview Veterinary Clinic, Kinni succumbed to cardiac arrest during the procedure. Serving alongside Deputy Brandon Jensen for nearly 12 years, Kinni was instrumental in numerous operations, ranging from narcotic cases to search and rescue missions. He joined the sheriff’s office through a donation from the Penn Yan Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Sheriff Ron Spike spoke highly of the unit, emphasizing their crucial role not only in Yates County but also in the broader Finger Lakes region. “Kinni was a tremendous asset to our team,” Sheriff Spike said. “His dedication to public service and the bond he shared with Deputy Jensen and the community will be deeply missed. We honor his service and mourn his loss.”

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.