K9 Gypsy – Wahpeton, North Dakota

Died – 7/24/24
Handler – Officer Dustin Hill

K-9 Gypsy took her final ride

Retired Wahpeton Police Department K-9 Gypsy took her final ride this past Wednesday.Acclaimed K-9 in the Wahpeton community, Gypsy, a black Labrador mix came in first place for three consecutive years when K-9 teams from North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wyoming were trained at Camp Ripley, Morrison County, Minnesota.Gypsy wasn’t a bite or dual purpose dog, she was heavily trained in narcotics detection. In the community she set a positive example of K-9 use in law enforcement working alongside her partner and best friend, retired law enforcement officer, Dustin Hill.“Gypsy served her community with distinction, not only did she work with children and community policing education, she also took narcotics off the streets,” said Hill.Hill and Gypsy have spent nearly the last 12 years together, six of those as partners in law enforcement.“I am absolutely devastated. The last thing that tied me to my old life is gone. I lost my best friend, my anchor, my peace.”“I want to thank Wahpeton P.D., Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Campus Police Department, and Richland County Sheriff’s Office for giving Gypsy her final ride honoring her service to the community.”“I especially want to thank Chief Matthew Anderson and Deputy Chief Tim Appell who went out of their way with very little notice to make Gypsy’s final ride happen, my family and I are extremely grateful.”This is a statement for dogs and was used for Gypsy Hill:Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When a dog passes away that has been especially close to someone here, that pup goes to Rainbow Bridge. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. Until the day you and your friend finally meet again and cross the Rainbow Bridge together, she may be too long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

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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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