K9 Brix – Kettering, Ohio

Died 5/4/20
Handler – Lt. Brad Lambert

Retired Kettering police K-9 passes away

It is with a heavy hearts that we announce the passing of K9 Brix. K9 Brix passed away during the night of May 4, 2020 with Lt. Brad Lambert by his side. K9 Brix was imported from the Czech Republic and purchased from Shallow Creek Kennels in 2008. Lt. Lambert and K9 Brix completed an intensive 280 hour Patrol and Narcotics K9 certification at the Middletown Police K9 Academy.After achieving certification, the K9 team began serving the City of Kettering and surrounding jurisdictions; accumulating an unbelievable career as one of the most dependable tracking, apprehension and narcotics K9 Team in the region. K9 Brix and Lt. Lambert were also assigned to the Kettering Regional SWAT team, deploying with the team on numerous operations. K9 Brix and Lt. Lambert competed at multiple regional and national certifications. K9 Brix won numerous awards and was named “Top Dog” for the United States Police Canine Association in 2012 and the Ohio Law Enforcement K9 Association. In 2010, K9 Brix earned Top Dog honors, scoring 450 points; the second place K9 team was 250 points behind. Competing at this level takes a tremendous amount of time, sacrifice and determination but Lt. Lambert and K9 Brix excelled. A further testament to K9 Brix and Lt. Lambert’s hard work was the number of successful street tracks, apprehensions and narcotics finds during their tenure as a Kettering K9 team. Most of these uses were self-initiated, showing the dedication, drive and selflessness of the K9 team. K9 Brix retired from service in 2015. K9 Brix and Lt. Lambert remain one of the best K9 Teams in Kettering history. K9 Brix will be greatly missed by the Kettering K9 Unit, Kettering Police Dept. and K9 teams across the region. Please keep Lt. Lambert and his family in your prayers.

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.