K9 Bullet – Fort Wayne, Indiana

Died 1/10/19
Handler – Officer Griffith

Fort Wayne PD mourns death of retired K9

The Fort Wayne Police Department is mourning the loss of one of its former K9s. K9 Officer Gary Griffith’s retired K9 partner Bullet died Thursday morning around 8:40. Bullet was born on July 3, 2006 before joining the Fort Wayne Police K9 Unit on May 4, 2009. She retired February 1, 2017 after serving with honor for 8 years. Bullet spent her entire career working with Officer Griffith on the B-shift. FWPD Sgt. Bob Theurer remember Bullet as, “a fantastic police work dog and a loyal partner to [Griffith].” During her retirement, Bullet also partnered with Griffith’s son and kept his family safe at home. The Fort Wayne Police Department is now remembering and honoring Bullet’s life of service to the department and the City of Fort Wayne. “It is unfortunate that she is gone but, we were lucky to have known and worked with such wonderful animal,” Sgt. Theurer said in an email memo to FWPD. “She will be missed by all that knew her. We take some comfort in that she is no longer suffering and has joined the many Police Service Dogs that have gone before her.” Bullet was 12 years old.

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.