K9 Dutch – Wyoming, Michigan

Died – 7/14/23
Handler – Officer Kelsey Eisen

Retired Wyoming police dog dies at 13

A police dog who retired from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety three years ago has died. K-9 Dutch died Friday, Wyoming DPS said. He was 13 years old.Dutch suffered complications from a ruptured tumor in the abdomen. Police said he was too old and his health too poor to undergo surgery, so he was put to sleep.The police department said Dutch worked for about nine years finding drugs and tracking people. He retired in 2020 and continued to live with his handler Officer Kelsey Eisen.“Dutch was a loyal and beloved member of the Wyoming Police family and will be greatly missed,” a Monday release said.

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.