Executive Board Members

  Officer William Nott Jr. - President

Bill is a past President and founder of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association in 1991 and re-elected in 2009. He is currently a Master Trainer with the North American Police Work Dog Association and is a member of the United States Police Canine Association. Sgt. Bill Nott Jr. has been a police officer since 1978, he has been involved in training police service dogs since 1984; he served as a handler and unit coordinator. Bill has instructed for the U.S.P.C.A. and N.A.P.W.D.A. on a national and regional level and has testified before the Connecticut House Judiciary Committee in favor of legislation that was enacted to protect police service animals. He has also testified in court and successfully defended his department in a criminal proceeding where the use of force was questioned as a result of a K-9 deployment. He has contributed canine training articles and been interviewed by Police Magazine and Connecticut Police Chief’s Association Magazine. Bill’s entire career has been focused on tactical patrol dog training. Bill specializes in motivational problem solving techniques for aggression control, tactical obedience, passive gunfire response and equipment neutralization, as well as scenario based simunition training that combines realistic street level training for the canine team. Bill has been instructing for the International Police Canine Conference since 1997.

Detective James C. Dickey - Vice-President

Detective James Dickey has been a Police Officer since 1989 and member of the Waterbury Police Department since 1994. He has been involved in Police K-9 since 1997 and a member of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association from 1997-2006 and elected as vice president of the association in 2009. In November 2001 he was certified as a  Utility (Patrol)  and Narcotics K-9 Trainer by the North American Police Work Dog Association. Currently he serves with K-9 Bella, who is certified in narcotic detection. Detective Dickey has been a member of the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association from 1997-2006 and 2009.

 

  Officer Rosario G. Savastra - Secretary 

Officer Rosario Savastra is a Police K9 handler for the West Hartford Police Department (WHPD). In 2006, he was partnered with K9 Reign, an IPO Level 3 certified German shepherd. He and K9 Reign, hold certifications through the Connecticut and North American Police Work Dog Association for use in patrol, tracking and narcotics detection. Officer Savastra has been a police officer for over 9 years and has spent his entire career with the WHPD. He has been an active member of the C.P.W.D.A. since 2006 and was elected secretary of the association in 2009.

 

 

  Officer James A. Cortina - Treasurer  

Jim Cortina is the current Treasurer for the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association Inc. and has been appointed as Treasurer since its inception in 1991.  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 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.