K9 Fritz – Hillsborough Township, New Jersey

Handler – Officer Christopher Engelhardt

Hillsborough Bids Farewell to K9 Fritz

Fritz, known around town as Officer Raider, was Hillsborough Township’s first K9 Officer. He assumed his service role with the township in 2008 and proudly served on the police force until his retirement in 2014. In an ironic timing of events, just days after the township received its newest K9 Officer, Freddy, Fritz was peacefully laid to rest, after a brief battle with cancer. Fritz was an icon around the township, as he attended many township events and participated in Hillsborough Township School District events and Somerset County training drills. He was a German Shepard that came to the Township via Hungary as a result of donations from the Municipal Alliance and Duke Farms. His main functions as an officer were narcotics detection, to apprehend perpetrators and tracking. With less than a year on the force, K9 Officer Fritz had been quite an addition to the Hillsborough Township Police Department, assisting in numerous narcotics busts, patrol operations and finding missing persons. In addition, Raider and his handler, Officer Christopher Engelhardt, also visited with township students and senior citizens, which further facilitated the community policing efforts. In the last hours of Fritz’s life, care was administered by Noah’s Ark Pet Crematory in Manasquan. Services were free of charge to the Township. Fritz is succeeded by Marco and the newest K9 Officer, Freddy.

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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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