K9 Tengo – Vernon, Connecticut

Died 5/28/23
Handler – Officer Jeffrey Condon

The Connecticut Police Work Dog Association (CPWDA) is sad to announce the passing of retired K9 Tengo on 5/28/23 at the age of 9 years old who was partnered with Officer Jeffrey Condon for 7 years with the Vernon Police Department. K9 Tengo retired a month ago and had served Vernon from 2016 to 2021 and was certified in Patrol and Narcotics. Tengo underwent several medical procedures over the past several months that included cancer treatment, an intestinal blockage and a surgery that left a several-inch scar on his back. In all, Tengo had about 250 deployments in his career. Just three months after being certified, Tengo was dispatched to a burglary at Scranton Motors, during which an armed suspect quickly gave up. Another case that stands out took place in December 2017 in the northeast part of town. Condon and Tengo tracked a suspect in a robbery and pistol-whipping incident at the Lafayette area Shell gas station for more than 2 miles into Tolland and forced him into the open, where the man was taken into custody. Condon said after a short rest, Tengo went into a wooded area, where he not only recovered the gun used in the caper, andt a stash of drugs the suspect tried to hide under a pile of leaves and dirt. In October 2017, Tengo located physical evidence that led to a DNA identification and subsequent 13-year prison sentence in a sexual assault case. In 2018, Tengo recovered a knife that had been tossed into a nearby yard during a brawl that led to a stabbing.In 2017, Tengo sniffed out a drug stash at a traffic stop that led to the seizure of 20 grams of crack, 28 grams of marijuana, a large amount of cash and packaging materials. The dealer wound up with a three-year prison sentence.”He had a stellar career and we were all safer because of him,” Vernon police chief John Kelley said at Tengo’s retirement ceremony. Officer Jeffrey Condon and K9 Tengo joined the C.P.W.D.A. on 10/24/16. CPWDA sends our thoughts and prayers to Officer Jeffrey Condon, his family, and the entire Vernon Police Department and friends during this difficult time. K9 Tengo we will miss you and we thank you for your service to Vernon, Connecticut. K9 Tengo R.I.P.

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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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