K9 Gunner – Knoxville, Tennessee

Died 12/30/24

Knoxville Mourns the Loss of Beloved Retired K9 Officer Gunner at Age 13

The Knoxville Police Department is in mourning following the death of one of its former four-legged officers, K9 Gunner. The retired police dog passed away at the age of 13, as confirmed on Wednesday by a department social media post. “We are saddened by the death of retired KPD K-9 Gunner, who passed away this morning at the age of 13. Gunner had a distinguished career with the Knoxville Police Department, serving from 2012 to 2019 before his retirement. His contributions to the force were significant, playing a vital role in the removal of dangerous and deadly narcotics from Knoxville’s streets. “Thank you for your service to Knoxville, Gunner,” the department expressed, reflecting a sentiment of gratitude for the K9’s commitment to public safety.News of Gunner’s passing was shared widely across various platforms which detailed that the beloved K9 had died Monday morning. Gunner’s tenure with the KPD was marked by a dedication to his dutiful role in law enforcement, an embodiment of the dogged spirit and loyalty that K9 units are celebrated for.The Knoxville Police Department did not release details regarding the cause of death, focusing instead on commemorating Gunner’s service and impact.

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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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