PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — Six months ago, Floyd County's communities lost three law enforcement officers and a K-9 deputy from the Floyd County Sheriff's Office and from Prestonsburg's police department. On Friday, this community is still remembering what these lives meant.
Prestonsburg police officer, Brad Caldwell, says, "They were heroes. We've had an outpouring of support from our community. Those guys were great men, and they're never going to be forgotten."
Over the past few months, the Floyd County Sheriff's Office has been working to recover from the losses they've experienced. Sheriff's Deputy Allen May says it's not been easy.
May says, "I don't really know how to put into words exactly what we've been through. Everyone handles everything differently, but I can say as a community, It's definitely changed. The law-enforcement community. It's definitely changed."
Deputy May says he found K-9 Drago on the scene at the Allen shooting. He says he was a K-9 deputy like no other and was known by everyone here.
"So that's a void that we're always going to having K-9 Drago, all I can tell you is one word: Rockstar,” says May.
Now, the sheriff's office is welcoming a new K-9 to the team: K-9 deputy Bear.
Deputy May explains, "So he's a very social dog, but at the same time, when it's work time, it's go time."
K-9 Bear has just completed six weeks of training and he'll focus on narcotics in this community. Now he's ready to join the team.
May says, "I couldn't ask for a better dog. Obviously, we've got a lot of work to do ... there is a lot of training and stuff that still follows to make him better."
Deputy May explains that bear has some big paws to fill -- he says over the course of his career, he hopes that bear can help battle the growing narcotics problem.
"You know to be able to have a dog that can take that dealer and bust that dealer to get the drugs off the street, that's a big deal in our community,” says May. This community is still working to heal, but this deputy says they'll come back strong.
