K9 Bones – Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin

Died – 10/16/15
Handler – Officer Dale Swart

K-9 Bones dies

Village police are mourning the loss of one of their veteran four-legged officers. Mount Pleasant police announced Friday afternoon that retired K-9 Bones had died. Bones, 11, had worked for more than a decade as the canine partner to Officer Dale Swart. Bones was retired in May because he was starting to limp on one hind leg and had some arthritis developing in a shoulder. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of K9 Bones today,” the Police Department posted. “Please keep him and his handler Officer Swart in your thoughts today. Bones and Officer Swart have been partners for over 11 years. He will be truly missed. Thanks for all the hard work you did. We have it from here our friend.” In an interview at Bones’ retirement party on May 19, Swart said that during Bones’ years on the job the canine did “a little bit of everything.” He helped collar suspects, sniffed out illegal drugs and found a loaded gun that had been used in a shooting and tossed in a wooded area. Swart said Bones never had to bite a suspect. Swart said Bones’ working life exceeded most police K-9s whose usual career lasts 4 to 7 years. “He was a tremendous asset to the Mount Pleasant Police Department and the community,” Mount Pleasant Police Chief Tim Zarzecki said.

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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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