It is with a heavy heart that CPWDA announces that Officer Dan Gagnon’s retired K9 partner Ringo of the Ledyard Police Department was euthanized today at the age of 12. Officer Gagnon has been one of our longest members of CPWDA since 1/29/99 and K9 Ringo a lifetime members of the CPWDA since 1/27/07. Officer Gagnon served on the CPWDA Board of Directors as Vice President in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Officer Gagnon and K9 Ringo were the 1st Runner Up recipients of prestigious Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9 Award in 2010. K9 Ringo will be missed greatly by all members of the CPWDA and the greater K9 community and the town of Ledyard, CPWDA sends our thoughts and prayers to Officer Dan Gagnon, his family, Ledyard Police Department and friends during this difficult time. RIP Ringo and thank you for your service.
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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.