K9 Gracie – Cobb County, Georgia

Handler – Deputy Gooch

Cobb County Sheriff’s Office mourns death of retired K9 Deputy Gracie

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the death of a retired K9 officer. Officials announced the passing of retired K9 Deputy Gracie on Facebook over the weekend. Gracie was born in 2006 and served six years with the U.S. Marine Corps working as an explosive detection K9 during multiple tours in Afghanistan. After retiring from the Marines in 2014, Gracie began working with the Cobb County Sherrif’s Office as part of the Uniform Patrol. Gracie retired from the Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and spent the rest of her years with her partner, Deputy Gooch. “Thank you Gracie for your years of service to our country and Cobb County. We will take it from here,” the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office wrote. Officials have not released Gracie’s cause of death.

 

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.