Remembering Joey: K-9 Officer Honored for Lifetime Service
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Oct 5, 2012 at 6:39 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 5, 2012
The Laredo Police Department paused for a moment of silence in honor of one of their own. Police K-9 'Joey' was euthanized Friday morning after suffering from terminal cancer that, officers say, made his life very difficult.
The K-9 division remembered Joey as a tough dog that helped take thousands of pounds of drugs off the street, and as K-9 officer that was quite an escape artist. This is the first memorial of it's kind at the Laredo Police Department, but officers say it was time to pay tribute.
Sgt. Jorge Luna with the LPD says, "A lot of people don't realize the importance of these K-9s to us, especially as K9 officers, they are our partners. We consider them police officers, as well. They are our backup; these are our partners."
Officer Alex Aguilar, from the K-9 Division, says "We do spend all shift long. We work 24 hours off-duty. I go to work with him. I go home with him. We have to care for them. He gives love unconditionally. Joey, he's a lab, so he's friendly and played a lot with my boys."
Joe was assigned to the pipeline interdictions unit since 2005 through this year.
