K9 Mexx – Harriman, Tennessee

Handler – Detective Brian Turner

The Harriman Police Department put up a memorial placard in the Harriman Municipal Plaza in memory of Mexx, a beloved K-9 unit drug dog who was put down recently due to increasing health issues.“He worked with us from the Spring of 2012 to the Summer of 2018,” said Harriman Police Chirf Baron Tapp. “We retired him, and for the past 5 years has lived with detective Brian Turner because that was his dog handler. Last week he just got to where he couldn’t walk anymore and he had to be put down. He’s been cremated and Brian will have his urn when they get him ready. He was a good dog, and a great drug dog. Did great at his job and very well in tracking also and had a sweet temperament about him.”

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.