BLACKSBURG, Va. – There is a new name on the law enforcement K-9 memorial at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Virginia State Police K-9 Vader was shot and killed during a car chase last year.
On Wednesday, his handler and two other troopers involved in the incident visited the memorial at on Virginia Tech's campus for the first time since the dog’s name was added.
Their current K-9 officers were there as well.
“To have his name being placed on everything everywhere to show the out reach from the community, it really shows that he met a lot to Virginia and met a lot to Virginia State Police,” said trooper Austin Albright, Vader's handler.
“With these police canines, they serve us so it’s really great to be able to honor their service,” said Maggie Miekle, associate director of development at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
The memorial was installed in 2009 after five years of fundraising.