K9 Biko – Lake Charles, Louisiana

Died – 5/30/21

Lake Charles Police hold honor procession for K9 Biko

Biko, a narcotics, tracking, and apprehension K9 has passed away. He served the Lake Charles Police Department for about eight years. “He was a police canine, and he did what police canines do, they go into homes and search for possible burglars,” said Shawn Caldwell, the Lake Charles Police Chief. “They search for contraband, they backed up the officer, so he was Sergeant Sawyer’s partner. Lake Charles Police Department K9 Biko. “He was actually the guy who rode in the cars with Sgt. Sawyer and was Sgt. Sawyer’s backup,” he said. “Biko served the police department with honor, did everything asked of him, and was a great dog with the police department,” he added. Thursday morning, the Lake Charles Police Department gathered and held a full honor procession following his passing on Sunday. “Here today at this service, we had the neighbors, the Sawyer’s neighbors, the grandparents of Sgt. Sawyer’s kids, family members here because they loved the dog, so they’re going to miss him,” he said. Commencing at the Coroner’s office and ending at the Johnson Funeral Home – this procession was quite a sendoff. Chief Caldwell said following his retirement last June, Biko served as a family dog for the family of Sgt. Mitchell Sawyer. “Biko served with honor in the department, but I think what’s really important and what I’d like you to know and everyone to know is he retired as a family dog,” he said. “His family loved him, the Sawyer’s, the neighbors.” Biko was about 14 years old.

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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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