K9 Layka – Arlington Heights, Illinois

Died – 4/22/17
Handler – Officer Kevin Sullivan

Arlington Heights police mourn loss of K-9 Layka

Arrlington Heights police are mourning the loss of one of their own this week after the recent death of the department’s longtime police K-9 Layka. The 13-year-old Belgian Malinois who joined the department in 2007 as its first police K-9, was euthanized Saturday after recently being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, said Deputy Police Chief Andrew Whowell. While Layka was supposed to retire in August, her veterinarian ordered numerous tests after Layka suffered a seizure in February and detected the brain tumor that put an immediate end to the dog’s distinguished career in law enforcement.An emotional crowd of Arlington Heights police, as well as dozens of northwest suburban police K-9 officers and their dogs, gathered March 20 at village hall for a retirement ceremony to honor Layka, who was the recipient of a village proclamation from Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes. Layka, who was born in the Netherlands on Jan. 4, 2004, immigrated to the U.S. and became the village’s first police K-9 in August 2007, assigned badge number 268K, officials said.During almost a decade of service with the police department, Layka recovered more than $1 million in unlawful controlled substances and $1 million in criminal assets, and demonstrated her abilities in over 300 public presentations, officials said. A memorial for Layka will be determined in the coming weeks, Whowell said.

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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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