K9 Hitch – Saanich, Canada

Handler – Const. Ken Mead

Police dog dies from medical complications

A police service dog (PSD) that responded to the BMO bank robbery in June 2022 has passed away from medical complications, Saanich Police announced Sunday.PSD Hitch served with Saanich Police for about seven years, A police spokesperson tells CHEK News Hitch was nine years old.“Hitch loved every aspect of his job,” said Const. Ken Mead, the K9’s handler, in the post.“He (Hitch) served since 2016 & responded to the BMO incident in 2022,” wrote police. “Hitch, thank you for protecting our community for so many years.”On June 28, 2022, around 11 a.m., a police report led officers from Saanich Police, Victoria Police and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) to the BMO on Shelbourne Street after armed men entered the bank.A gunfight between police and two suspects ensued, with the pair, twin brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie from Duncan, eventually shot dead by police as six GVERT officers, three from Saanich Police and three from VicPD, were rushed to hospital suffering gunshot wounds.No police officers or civilians were killed.An RCMP investigation later revealed the brothers had actually been planning for an armed conflict since 2019, with the goal of killing as many police officers as possible.

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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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