K9 Ares – Benton, Arkansas

Died 8/22/16

K-9 Officer’s Death Mourned by Benton Police

The Benton Police Department (BNPD) is mourning the loss of one of its K-9 officers. In a news release issued Monday, the BNPD said Ares, although being on a heartworm preventative, had contracted a strain of heartworms last year. He went through a series of treatments and had been released by veterinarians to return to full duty several months ago. While no foul play is suspected, Ares was taken to the Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Little Rock for a necropsy and further investigation into the cause of his death. The Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd breed was 18-months-old when he joined the department in February 2014. His name was given to him by a group of 6th grade students at Benton Middle School during a contest which involved students writing essays and drawing pictures about why their suggested name should be chosen, the release explained. A committee of department employees then sorted through the entries and decided the name Ares was the best fit for the dog. The name had been submitted by Emilee Faith Millerd, who was chosen from over 80 entries. Ares was a dual purpose K-9 trained in narcotic detection and criminal apprehension. Ares was certified at the Little Rock K-9 Academy and through the National Narcotic Dog Detector Association (NNDDA) which is a professional, nonprofit organization dedicated to the utilization and proficiency of scent detector dogs for the benefit of law enforcement. The cost for Ares was paid for through the use of drug asset forfeiture funds. Ares was part of a team responsible for many high profile arrests. He also spent many hours visiting local schools and community functions helping to educate children about all the important jobs that police dogs perform to help protect their communities. “Ares’ service is appreciated beyond words and the department will miss him immensely. Thoughts and prayers during this time are appreciated,” said the release. Just over two months ago, the BNPD announced the death of K-9 Honor and said he was undergoing continued treatment for heartworms at the time of his death.

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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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