K9 Nasa – South Yorkshire, England

Handler – PC Paul Brackpool

South Yorkshire police dog who once leapt from 12-foot wall to catch drug dealer dies

Police Dog Nasa served with South Yorkshire Police between 2007 and 2013 alongside handler PC Paul Brackpool, who has also since retired. The charity K9 Memorial UK, set up to recognise the contribution of police dogs in this country, described him as a ‘fabulous tracking dog’ who earned his moniker because he ‘liked his space’.His finest hour, it said, was when he boldly leapt from a 12-foot wall in pursuit of a drug dealer and didn’t give up despite smashing his face so badly he would later require treatment. PC Brackpool praised Nasa as ‘my colleague, my guardian and above all my friend’, while South Yorkshire Police’s operational support unit said ‘RIP big fella’.

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.