K9 Gallo – Sedalia, Missouri

Handler – Officer Connor

Sedalia police says one of its K9s has died

The Sedalia Police Department has announced that recently one of the department’s police K9s, Gallo, passed away due to a serious medical issue. SPD says in a post, “our hearts go out to Officer Connor, who has been Gallo’s handler for Gallo’s entire career. At the SPD, we are a family working to make this community a better place and we feel every loss across all members of the department. We stand behind our officers and K9s offering our deepest condolences to Officer Connor.” K9 Gallo served the SPD for nearly six years, from October 27, 2013 – August 18, 2019. Gallo worked as a drug detection dog and Officer Connor’s K9 partner. SPD says K9 Gallo was a “wonderful part of the department and will be dearly missed.” Gallo will be honored at the Sedalia City Council Meeting on September 3, at 6:30 p.m.

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.