K9 Trexx – Gideon, Missouri

Died – July 2015

Gideon police believe poison caused K-9’s death

For almost three months, city officials in Gideon, Missouri say they’ve been investigating the death of the police department’s K-9, Trexx. They believe someone intentionally killed the dog and hope someone else comes forward with information.“We do have a couple of people that we are watching very closely right now,” said Mayor Toby Jordan. Back in July, Police Chief Josh Roberts believes someone broke into the city’s kennel and poisoned Trexx overnight. Chief Roberts said the Missouri State Highway Patrol is examining Trexx’s dog bowls to see if he might have been poisoned. Since the dog’s death, there have been a number of rumors circulating around town as to what might of lead to Trexx’s death. Mayor Toby Jordan said keeping information about the investigation private was part of a strategy. “We decided to keep it quiet in hoping someone in the area, community would talk because we know that there are people out there that know who the person is that did this,” he said. The three year old K-9 worked to sniff out narcotics during drug busts in communities around southeast Missouri, but was a family companion to the department and loved throughout the community. “I don’t know what I could have done to prevent it,’ said Mayor Jordan. The city was able to purchase the dog last year from donations collected from the city that totaled more than $6,000. Trexx was with the department for a year when he died.

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.