K9 Blade – Ellis County, Texas

Died – 7/20/20
Handler – and Corporal Klinton

Ellis County Sheriff’s Office police dog Blade dies

On July 20, at around 5 p.m, Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Police Dog Blade passed away due to cancer. “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of an Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Police Service Dog (PSD) Blade,” according to a Facebook post shared through the Ellis County page. PSD Blade and Corporal Klinton Valley served together for the past seven years. Together, Cpl. Valley and Blade tracked, apprehended and arrested various suspects for violent crimes and drug offenses. Around 4:30 p.m., Valley and Blade set out on their final mission together before his passing. “He passed peacefully and was surrounded by family, friends, and his K9 training partners from surrounding agencies,” the post continued.

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.