K9 Chance – Anderson, California

Died – 11/16/24
Handler – Sergeant Tyler Finch

Anderson mourns death of heroic K-9 “Chance”

The Anderson Police department is mourning one of their former K-9’s on Saturday after announcing Chance the German Shepherd had passed away.Chance had a busy career while serving the city’s police force from 2015 to 2019. Assisting in a number of operations and arrests.Most notably in 2018 when he helped apprehend a gunman in an active shootout with police. He was shot through the ear in the process. At the time, officers said his actions saved lives.In response to his passing his former handler, APD Sergeant Tyler Finch said:I would like to express my love for a partner far better than I deserved. I want to thank the community for their love and support of chance over the years; it made our highs higher and lows less low.

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.