K9 Grizz – Brookhaven, Georgia

Died 11/10/18
Handler – Officer John Ritch

Beloved Brookhaven K9 Grizz Passes Away

One of the city’s first K9 officers has died. Grizz passed away on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Grizz was handled by Officer John Ritch until Grizz retired in August 2015. Grizz worked protecting the citizens in Brookhaven, after working on the streets in Paulding County as well as Sandy Springs. In September 2014, Ritch and Girzz were attacked by a swarm of yellow jackets after tracking a suspect for DeKalb County police. The pair were pursuing a suspect on foot in a wooded area off I-85 when Ritch and Grizz fell about 10 feet to the bottom of a hill after rocks broke loose. The shifting rocks freed a cavern of the stinging insects, Ritch said. “I immediately did not realize I was getting stung, because I was being stung so many times,” Ritch said. “I just knew something was in my eyes, my nose and my mouth. I was having difficulty breathing immediately, my chest became very tight. I looked over at Grizz and he was laid down in the vegetation, covered with yellow jackets in his ears, his nose, his eyes, and where his lips met.” But the officers couldn’t turn and run, Ritch said, because the suspect was in the ravine with them. Other officers took control of the suspect, and Ritch and his partner got out. But Ritch’s airway was blocked by the time he reached a parking lot and he was having trouble breathing. Suffering around 100 stings and showing signs of a severe allergic reaction, Ritch was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. Grizz was treated at an emergency veterinary clinic in Sandy Springs.

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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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