K9 Mako – Rapid City, South Dakota

Died – 10/29/15
Handler – Officer Jason LaHaie

K9 Mako laid to rest

Mako is a former working dog. He was a narcotics and patrol dog with the Rapid City Police Department from 2004 until 2011. He was escorted to Mountain View Animal Hospital today and was laid to rest. Those who knew Mako have many memories of him during his career and in his retirement. “How much he likes to play and just how much he likes attention, especially with people he knows, he loves attention. Jason’s nickname for him was lover boy. Probably not for the bad guys, they wouldn’t call him that, but for somebody he knows, that was his nickname,” Mako’s current family member Marty Krause said. “Mako was my first partner. My first canine partner. He made a childhood dream of mine come true. So throughout the years I handled him, we had a lot of good times together. He was an excellent dog and loved serving the community. So to break it down to one memory is pretty tough for me,” RCPD service dog handler Jason LaHaie said. Mako had troubles with weak hips to the point he could barely walk and other internal issues.

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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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