Toledo police k-9 unit dog killed - Aug 2015

Interesting.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2015/08/12/Police-K-9-killed-along-with-suspect-after-chase.html

Late Wednesday night, police officers lined a path leading away from a vacant East Toledo house, hands on hearts, as Falco’s body was wheeled out and taken away with a police escort.

The small crowd on the scene remained hushed at the sight, some removing their hats or taking cell phone video.

"We just lost a police officer," Chief Kral said. "That dog is a police officer.

Toledo police dispatchers gave a ceremonial last call for the dog over police radio around 9:30 p.m.

Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson arrived at the scene several hours after the shooting to show support for officers there, she said. “This officer gave his life in service to our community,” she said.

The last Toledo Police officer to be killed in the line of duty was Detective Keith Dressel, a 13-year veteran of the department, who died Feb. 21, 2007.

The National Sheriff’s Association has written a protocol that departments should follow for burying a K-9. Honors for a dead K-9 should be comparable to those for their human counterparts, the association says.

The animal’s funeral may include an honor guard, pall bearers, and 21-gun salutes, the association said.

In 2014, a funeral procession in Pittsburgh for slain police dog Rocco included bagpipers and full police honors.

http://toledopolice.com