K9 Gero – Evansville, Indiana

Died – 2/4/25

Retired EPD K-9 ‘Gero’ passes away

A retired Evansville Police Department K-9 was laid to rest yesterday. Officials with the Southern Indiana Police Canine Association Inc. posted the news and a video of memories with K-9 Gero. Gero was born in 2010 in the Netherlands, and joined EPD with his handler Doug in 2012.The team worked for several years until Gero’s retirement in 2020.They say Gero had 88 apprehensions in his career and located various amounts of narcotics, several firearms and helped seize thousands of dollars related to dealing. According to the association, they say he was laid to rest at the FOP Camp after over four years of well-earned retirement.Rest well, K-9 Gero.

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.