K9 Regin – North Tonawanda, New York

Handler – Officer Tim Sylvester

North Tonawanda Police mourn loss of K9 Officer

The North Tonawanda Police Department had to say goodbye to one of its K9 Officers earlier this week. K9 Officer Regin officially retired Tuesday after suffering from cancer.
Regin was a 7-year-old Belgian Mallnois Shepard who served alongside North Tonawanda Police Officer Tim Sylvester. Regin started patrol in September of 2010 and replaced retired K9 Odin. He was trained in Narcotics Detection, Patrol and Tracking. He served with the department’s Swat team, Patrol units, and assisted several Police Department’s in Western New York. The North Tonawanda Police Department describes Regin as an “outstanding K9 for the department” who “gave 100 percent, never gave up and was always happy to work.” The Police Department says Regin was able to spend his final days with his handler, Officer Sylvester and his family, and will be greatly missed.

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.