K9 Louis – Bixby, Oklahoma

Died – 8/13/17
Handler – Corporal Scott Henderson

10-Year-Old K9 Bixby Dies

A K9 officer for the Bixby Fraternal Order of Police died Thursday. Louis was a 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, according to a post made on the Bixby Fraternal Order of Police. “I lost my partner today. Best one I ever had!” said Corporal Scott Henderson in the post. Louis was born May 13, 2007, in Czechoslovakia. He became Henderson’s partner on Feb. 2, 2011, after being acquired from Worldwide Canine in San Antonio, Texas. Louis served with the department until his retirement on July 28, 2017. “Louis served with distinction in the department as a dual purpose canine for drugs and tracking. As a K9 team, Louis was instrumental in taking drugs, weapons, cash and suspects off the street,” Henderson said. “Louis will be missed by his family and coworkers.”

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.