K9 Sam – West Valley, Utah

1ST Handler – Officer S. Palmer
2ND Handler – Officer Dellinger
3RD Handler – Officer Gillespie

West Valley City Police mourn death of K9 Officer Sam

The West Valley City Police Department is mourning the loss of a fellow officer, K9 Sam. Officers said Sam started working with West Valley Police in 2009. He had three handlers; officers S. Palmer, Dellinger and Gillespie. The department said the officers loved him and he loved them back. WVCPD said, “During his career, he was responsible for finding several suspects and a whole lot of narcotics. Sam also won several awards in K9 competitions in Utah and Nevada.” Sam had retired from the force to live on a farm with Officer Vargo. According to officers, Sam recently started to slow down. “The body that had served him so well for so many years became painful and tender with arthritis and his family had to say their final goodbyes,” the dept. said in a Facebook post. “Rest In Peace, K9 Sam and thank you for all of your years of service. May your body be strong and pain free once again as you run across the rainbow bridge.”

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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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