K9 Sarge – Highlands County, Florida

Died – 11/5/15
Handler – Sgt. Kim Gunn

Veteran, retired K-9 dog, Sarge, euthanized after terminal illness

For eight years, Sarge fought crime like a blue-blooded K-9 dog. The veteran, retired member of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office amassed 163 total career finds, 69 of which were felony cases and 53 misdemeanors. He worked on 14 missing persons cases and 27 non-criminal cases. Oct. 21, Sarge was euthanized at Sebring Animal Hospital after suffering from a terminal condition. At his side was his family, K-9 deputy Wayne Gunn and Sgt. Kim Gunn and other members of the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. Sarge joined the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office in 2005 and served for eight years, retiring in 2013 to live with the Gunns. He was also a certified “Tracking Master” by the Police Work Dog Association of Florida. When asked which track was Sarge’s most famous, deputy Gunn said: “Sarge never knew the severity of one track over the other. All he knew was to find the person at the end because that’s what I wanted him to do.”

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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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