K9 Storm – Cottonwood Heights, Utah

Died 3/5/21

First Cottonwood Heights K9 officer dies

The first K9 officer in the history of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department passed away last week. Storm, whose nickname was Scooby, died March 5 at the age of 14. In a social media post Monday, the department paid tribute to Storm and his seven years on the force. “Storm assisted in hundreds of drugs cases and hundreds of thousands of dollars seized. Storm was well known throughout the County for his success and abilities not only assisting CHPD, but most every agency in the area on a regular basis,” the post shared. The department said Storm’s tracking abilities led to the apprehension of dozens of suspects who would never have been found without him. “Storm loved to go to work, French Fries, riding in his truck, searching for drugs, people and flying in helicopters,” the department said. He loved helicopters so much, the post said he would get excited whenever he heard a helicopter because he thought it meant he was going on another ride. “Storm will be missed.”

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.