K9 Trigger – South Portland, Main

Handler – Lt. Kevin Theriault

Beloved South Portland police K9 member dies of cancer

Trigger, a beloved canine member of the South Portland Police Department, has died after providing a decade of faithful service tracking dozens of crime suspects and lost individuals and leading investigators to drug and weapon seizures throughout Greater Portland.Trigger’s handler, Lt. Kevin Theriault, recently learned that the black German shepherd had cancer, according to a statement Tuesday from the department.As his K9 partner became increasingly uncomfortable, Theriault consulted with a local veterinarian and the difficult decision was made to end his suffering, the statement said.The department named Theriault its 2016 Officer of the Year for his work with Trigger in several high-risk incidents in Greater Portland, including the tracking and arrest of an armed robbery suspect in Portland. Trigger, who was 12 years old, was not only Theriault’s partner, but also a devoted coworker to all who serve the city and a protective guardian to Theriault’s family.“We are forever in his debt and will never forget his loyalty, courage and intelligence,” Chief Dan Ahern said. “Lt. Theriault, his family and the South Portland Police Department are deeply saddened today.”Theriault and Trigger’s list of accomplishments is long and their reputation has become legendary, Ahern said.They assisted Portland police when a driver ran off from a traffic stop, tracking the suspect to a nearby yard and finding keys that the suspect dropped while running. They conducted a drug search of a vehicle in South Portland that led to the seizure of marijuana and $4,000 cash.They also worked in Gorham, where a driver had fled during a traffic stop and ditched drugs that he was suspected of carrying. Theriault and Trigger ultimately found a container with 19.5 grams of heroin in a nearby yard.Theriault joined the department in January 2011.The department has two other K9 teams: Sgt. Shane Stephenson and Zak, and Officer Ezekiel Collins and Sauer.

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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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