K9 Hero – Connecticut State Police

Died 10/20/22
Handler – Trooper 1st Class Zella

Troop C – Tolland and the Connecticut State Police would like thank and honor the service of K-9 Hero, whose last working patrol shift was tonight 5/22/2018. K-9 Hero’s human partner, Trooper First Class Zella #479 has been promoted to Detective and will be retiring Hero to enjoy the rest of his days at home with his family. K-9 Hero and TFC Zella were partnered in 2012 after Hero was donated to the CSP by the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. K-9 Hero German Shepherd who is also certified in search and rescue and cadaver detection. K-9 Hero has been trained in all aspects of tracking, (man-trailing) suspect apprehension handler protection and building searches.Hero and Zella have since responded to over 500 calls for service, and an additional 111 Search and Rescue Operations and have become one of the most respected K-9 teams in Connecticut. In 2015, Hero and Zella were nominated for the American Human Association’s “Hero Dog Award” after the pair located a missing three year old that went missing in Coventry in April 2014.Some of the pair’s achievements include:2015-Assisted Vernon PD with apprehending an armed individual barricaded in his Union Street home.2017-Assisted Middletown/Troop H and Hartford Police after a pursuit with armed suspects ended in Hartford. Hero and Zella, utilizing a hair-pick as a scent article, were able to track, locate, and take into custody the suspect that fled from the vehicle.2018-Assisted Troop D-Danielson in tracking a wanted suspect who fled from a residence with a gun. Hero and Zella subsequently located the armed suspect, and took him into custody without further incident. K-9 Hero and Detective Zella will be dearly missed at Troop C, but we wish them both luck in their future endeavors and in retirement!

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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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