K9 Django – Allentown, Pennsylvania

Died – 1/18/21
Handler – officer Jonathan Smith

Allentown police mourn K-9 officer Django

Allentown police are mourning one of their own, K-9 officer Django, who died from a sudden unexpected illness Monday after serving more than 10 years with the force and was still serving. Django, a Belgian Malinois, was 2 years old when he completed the seven-week training course at the Progressive K-9 Academy in Walnutport. He then joined the police department with his partner, officer Jonathan Smith, in 2010, police said in a statement Tuesday. Django helped on patrol and drug investigations, receiving many awards, including two achievement commendations, throughout his career. He and Smith conducted hundreds of police dog demonstrations before students and community groups. A public memorial service will be held likely in conjunction with the police department’s annual National Police Week observance in May. Police said donations in memory of Django may be made out to the Allentown Police K9 Fund, a nonprofit designed to support police dogs, and can be mailed or dropped off at the Allentown Police Department, 425 Hamilton St., Allentown, PA 18101.

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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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