K9 Ace – Pasco County, Florida

Handler – Cpl. Joe Liddick

Pasco Sheriff’s Office pays respects to retired police dog

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said goodbye to a former police dog that died this month. Retired K9 Ace partnered with Cpl. Joe Liddick during his eight-year run with the department from 2008 to 2016. “K9 Ace will be truly missed,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote in a social media post and press release. “His dad, Cpl. Liddick, believes it was just God’s blessing that he got to work with and ride on K9 Ace’s coattails. Rest well, K9 Ace.” Sheriff’s Office representatives reported that Ace passed away of natural causes Dec. 7. Ace was part of a K9 unit that continues to grow in size and scope and the Sheriff’s Office described him as a “PSO K9 Unit legend.” Ace and Liddick are credited with the apprehension of several felony suspects and the duo received the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year honor in 2014 after recording the most suspect catches in a single year, at 75. The K9 unit added five dogs to its roster this summer and utilizes more than two dozen. The breadth of the unit’s specializations allows K9s to assist in a growing variety of investigations, as well. In addition to tracking suspects or locating missing people, there are dogs trained to sniff out drugs or explosives and help with searching buildings, recovering evidence and locating dead bodies. Ace and Liddick were certified in explosive detection and were a part of the Tampa Bay Regional Bomb Squad, assisting in investigations outside Pasco County when needed. Liddick, a former U.S. Marine, joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1996 and became a member of the K9 unit in 2000. Ace was one of a handful of Pasco Sheriff’s Office K9s to complete their service and enter into retirement, joining the likes of Thor, Eragon, Jet and Fin.

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.