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Died 8/8/23
Handler – Sergeant David Bean
Pearl River County mourns the loss of Sheriff K9 ‘Kilo’
On Wednesday, Pearl River County mourned the loss of Sheriff K9 ‘Kilo’ in a funeral procession of both county deputies and local police departments that drove Highway 11 from Picayune to Poplarville.Along the route, folks young and old stood on the side of the road to pay respect.“It is very emotional. I’m very thankful for the love and support from our blue family and the community,” said Kilo’s handler, Pearl River County Sheriff Department (PRCSD) Sergeant David Bean. “From the bottom of my heart, I deeply appreciate what the community has done. Kilo was a rock star when it comes to K9. He loved to do his job.”Kilo was Sergeant Bean’s first K9. For four years, they patrolled the county together on countless calls. “He was just great from day one,” Sergeant Bean said. “He was very patient with me as I’m trying to learn how to be a handler. I think he taught me more than I could’ve taught him. We would share chicken nuggets and French fries. It was just a fun time to sit there and reach over to pet his nose or the back of his ear, just someone to talk to when on shift.”After the twelve-hour shift, Bean and Kilo would spend another twelve hours together at home with family.“Kilo loved the family. He loved the kids. We have two other boys as well, and they would play ball with him. One of his favorite things to do when he wasn’t playing, was to just lounge around on the trampoline. If you looked like you just needed some companionship, he would come up there and sit beside you and force you to pet his head.”While on the job, Kilo would sniff out narcotics and find bad guys. He also played a critical role in building community relations, especially at schools. “He was just a great asset,” said PRCSD Patrol Commander, Captain Shane Edgar. “Some of the K9s are better with kids than others because some of them do not like being touched. But Kilo was great; he just loved kids. Someone like myself walks in, and kids can be somewhat intimidated. But as soon as they see that dog, they change. They want to love on the dog; they want to pet the dog.”Kilo was near retirement when he was diagnosed with cancer and put to sleep. He was ten years old.
