Joplin Police K9 Crosses Rainbow Bridge

Retired Joplin Police K9 Takoa crossed the rainbow bridge Tuesday after a recent illness. He was with his handler, retired Officer Travis Walthall. The pair retired together in September 2016. Takoa lived his last years with his handler, who he had worked with for 8 and half years before retiring. Captain Trevor Duncan tells News Talk KZRG about Takoa's extensive career.

"He would apprehend suspects, track missing people, alert to the odor of narcotics. He was trained in numerous different narcotics, and had numerous finds throughout his career on meth, marijuana, cocaine. Pretty much, you name it, he had found it at some point."

Takoa was 12 and a half years old.

The Joplin Police Department currently has five K9s.