K9 Jack – Louisiana State Police

Died – 1/22/25

Louisiana K9 Trooper Rides His Final Shift After Long Illness

Louisiana State Police officials have announced the passing of K-9 officer, Trooper “Jack” who served the people of Louisiana.Trooper Jack was beloved by everyone at Louisiana State Police Troop I here in Acadiana.He was brave, and his life was spent keeping the people of our community safe. He battled a long illness before passing away.In a touching and fitting ending, Trooper Jack rode the final shift of his career on Tuesday, January 21, when beautiful snow blanketed all of Acadiana and beyond. Science experts say no two snowflakes are alike, and if you asked his handler if that was the same for Trooper Jack, I think we would all agree that he would concur.Tuesday was a rare day in Louisiana, as was pointed out by a colleague who posted about how all the social feeds were filled with so much joy and so little disagreement as we all found something we loved. All that beautiful snow that fell for hours inspired wonder, magic, joy, and peace. This is something else we can join in together: the mourning and remembering of the K-9 officer who loved and served Acadiana.The quote given by his handler is likely to deeply touch everyone’s heart.His handler shared his thoughts in a quote on the Facebook page for Louisiana State Police,Jack, thank you for everything. You never had a bad day, even through your struggles. My aim is to mimic that through life. You were always ready for work. Thank you for your patience through our journey together. I am honored to have been your partner. I will never forget you. EOW (End of Watch) 01.22.2025.Even if you have never met Trooper Jack, no doubt you would agree that he served fearlessly and selflessly for the betterment of everyone in our community. Members of the Louisiana State Police say they will miss you dearly. What a beautiful, brave, and good boy you were.RIP, Trooper Jack, and THANK YOU!

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.