K9 Preacher – Maine State Police

Died – 2/4/25
Handler – Trooper Sgt. Jonathan Russell

Deputy and Police K9 were both shot in a standoff, suspect killed

Officials in Maine are mourning the loss of a K-9 officer who was killed in the line of duty Monday night.The Maine State Police said K-9 officer Preacher, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois, was killed in the line of duty during a tactical team operation in Portage.Police said the tactical team was deployed in response to an armed standoff involving a suspect who shot a deputy earlier Monday.The standoff reportedly lasted several hours before the suspect tried to run from the home around 8 p.m.Preacher was sent to apprehend the suspect when police said he was shot in the abdomen.Shortly after, Preacher’s handler Sgt. Jonathan Russell along with Specialist Andrew Hardy returned fire and the suspect was reportedly killed on the scene.Preacher was rushed to a hospital where he was stabilized.Despite efforts from veterinary staff, Preacher died from his injuries early Tuesday morning. He was surrounded by Russell as well as several other members of the tactical team when he died.“K-9 Preacher was more than just a working dog—he was a dedicated partner, a protector, and a hero,” Colonel Ross with the Maine State Police said.. “Most people will never understand the sacrifices made by our K-9 teams, but last night, Preacher made the ultimate sacrifice to protect others from harm.”The Maine State Police said it sends its heartfelt condolences to Russell and the rest of the K9 unit.“The loss of Preacher is a profound reminder of the courage and dedication of our law enforcement officers and their K-9 partners,” officials 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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