K9 Boris – Frisco, Texas

Died 8/7/19
Frisco police to hold public ceremony for fallen K-9

A public ceremony honoring the life and service of K-9 Boris will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 26. The service will be held at Ruff Range Dog Park, located at 5335 4th Army Memorial Drive in Frisco. On Aug. 7, 2019, Frisco Police Department K-9 Officer Boris passed away due to a medical-related issue. He was a 4.5-year-old Belgian Malinois. Police said K-9 Boris was an integral part of the K-9 unit, the Frisco Police Department and the community. At the time of his death, he was at a specialized police-dog training facility where he continued training and remained active while awaiting a new handler to be assigned. K-9 Boris had been with the department for just over two years, having joined the Frisco Police Department in May of 2017. During his watch, K-9 Boris assisted in making 79 drug-related arrests, was used in over 100 narcotics sniffs per year, was deployed seven times for tracking suspects, and was successful in six no-bite suspect apprehensions.

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.