Died – 11/13/15
Handler – Cpl. Michael Hastings
K9 officer dies
Members of the Alice Police Department are mourning the lost of a beloved K-9 officer. Bieko, a 7-year-old K9, had a seizure or possible stroke on Thursday during a K9 training in Duval County. His handler took him to a veterinarian in Kingsville, but he was unable to walk because his back feet were in pain. “He had a seizure on the way to the vets office,” Hastings said. “The vet concluded Bieko had possibly had a stroke or blood clot in his brain. He said Bieko wouldn’t recover.”, to prevent him from suffering he was euthanized, Friday. The K9 officer’s remains were brought back into Alice escorted by police units with flashing red and blue lights and sirens that blared through town.Bieko who specialized in narcotics was partnered with Cpl. Michael Hastings.”I never had a dog touch me as much as he does, he will truly be missed,” said Cpl. Michael Hastings. “He lived with me,” Hastings said with watery eyes. “He was like a kid. He wasn’t just my partner, he was part of my family.” Bieko assisted in raids, traffic stops and help surrounding law enforcement entities when needed. A special memorial service for Bieko will be held in a few days. Date of Birth: Feb. 11, 2007- End of Watch: Nov. 13, 2015.