K9 Watson – Hagerstown, Maryland

Died 7/28/15
Handler – Trooper Douglas Lowry

Hagerstown Police Department mourns the passing of K9 Watson

Last Tuesday, the Hagerstown Police Department lost one of their own, K9 Watson. For the past five years, Watson and his handler, retired Maryland State Police Corporal Douglas Lowry, volunteered their time to assist the Hagerstown Police Department by tracking missing people, suspects and evidentiary items. “It is rare to have such a dedicated K-9 team serving as volunteers to our community. Douglas Lowry and his partner ‘Watson’ were an essential part of HPD’s law enforcement team. Over the years I have seen many K-9 teams, but few matched the capabilities of Watson and Lowry. They were always willing to taking on seemingly impossible tracks, and more often than not, would come back with results. Without complaint, they would head off under all conditions to find missing people, track a suspect or search for evidence. We thank Doug Lowry and Watson for their commitment to public safety for the Hagerstown community,” said Chief Mark Holtzman in a press release from the Hagerstown Police Department. Police said from February 2010 to July 2015, Bloodhound Watson voluntarily responded to 143 calls for the Hagerstown Police Department. Trooper Lowry and K9 Watson also answered calls for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police. “Bloodhound Watson and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Hagerstown Police Department’s officers and detectives; we thank this department for giving us the opportunity and allowing us to provide our services. Watson loved what he was trained to do — and always gave his best. I have lost a great companion, friend and partner” Lowry said in a press release. Earlier this year, Trooper Lowry and Watson were featured on CNN Live for expert tracking commentary on the New York Prison Escape, and Inside Edition’s “Beaten by a Hair” concerning bloodhound line-ups. Watson will also be featured in the September 2015 issue of National Geographic Magazine’s article, “Bloodhounds on Scent.” Police said Watson was just six years and four months old when he was put to sleep due to a progressively debilitating and painful condition caused by a mast cell tumor in his chest that spread to his heart and lungs.

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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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