K9 Cash – Mason County, Michigan

Died 7/8/19
Handler – Deputy Ken Baum

Mason County K-9 officer dies unexpectedly

A Mason County K-9 officer unexpectedly died Monday evening. Sheriff Kim Cole announced that K-9 Cash was found dead in his kennel by his handler just before 6:00 p.m. Monday. Cash had worked with his handler, Deputy Ken Baum, over the holiday weekend. Cash was an 8-year-old Dutch Shepard and had been with the Mason County Sheriff since 2013. He was planned to be retiring in 2020. The sheriff says that one of Cash’s biggest successes was tracking a four-year-old boy who had autism who had gotten lost in 2016. The boy had gone over a mile from his home. The boy befriended Cash and Cash led him back to rescuers. Cash was awarded the National Association of Professional Canine Handlers Life Saving Award for the rescue. Cash was also credited with tracking and capturing a wanted fugitive in a swamp in Manistee County in February 2018. He also tracked a man wanted in several break-ins in March of 2018. That man was sentenced to up to 50 years in prison. A veterinarian is examining Cash to determine the cause of his death. No foul play is suspected.

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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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