MAY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 5 - Austin Cover

16-year-old may face

16-year-old may face second degree Felony charges. Mesquite PD Honors K-9 Kozmo Killed in the Line of Duty. End of Watch 4/26/21 MESQUITE - A K-9 officer from the Mesquite Police Department who died in the line of duty, was honored Friday May 30th by police departments across North Texas. Officers and K-9s from multiple police departments gathered to honor Kozmo, who was brought back to the Mesquite Police Department from Texas A&M via police escort around 12 p.m. Kozmo was escorted by honor guard and placed in rest inside the police building until his memorial service. According to the Mesquite Police Department, Kozmo was killed in the line of duty early Monday morning May 26th after a pursuit that took officers from Balch Springs to Mesquite and ended with three people arrested. Officers from Mesquite were called to assist with the pursuit, according to Mesquite PD. After using a spike strip to stop the vehicle, one person was arrested inside the vehicle, but two others ran off into a nearby wooded area. Police said Kozmo tracked the suspects down, but officers could not find him after the arrests. Kozmo was found at about 4:13 a.m. and pronounced dead, police said. Police said a necropsy test determined Kozmo’s death was allegedly caused by trauma consistent with an assault. A 16-year-old male involved in the chase is now facing second-degree felony charges in connection with Kozmo’s death, police said. “Kozmo was an amazing and loyal dog who gave his life in the performance of his duties,” the Mesquite Police Department said in a statement. “We ask everyone to keep all of our officers in their thoughts and prayers as we deal with this loss.” 22 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 23