K9 Brisko – Mount Dora, Florida

Died – 5/18/16

Mount Dora Police Department mourning the loss of retired police dog Brisko

Retired K9 dog Brisko has passed away. The Mount Dora Police Department is mourning the loss of a retired police dog, Brisko, a German shepherd who died unexpectedly Wednesday at 11 years old from what is thought to be cancer, officials said. The department is inviting resident s to honor Brisko’s service at a memorial ceremony at 9 a.m. May 27 in the front parking lot of police headquarters at 1300 N. Donnelly St. Brisko served for seven years before retiring in 2014. The department says anyone who wishes can make a donation to the Mount Dora Heroes Foundation K-9 Fund at mountdoraheroesfoundation.com or at police headquarters. Fund proceeds go toward medical expenses of retired K-9s and keeping active K-9s on the Mount Dora force. In 2014, Brisko was nominated to become the city’s first “‘Honorary Canine Mayor of Mount Dora” but lost out to a smaller four-legged candidate, a Chihuahua named Mickie.

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.