Cocoa Police Department K9 Draco, a seven-year-old Belgian Malinois, has died after collapsing during a routine training exercise in Brevard County, Florida.
Draco became ill while carrying out a tracking exercise on Friday, 4 September, and was taken immediately to an emergency veterinary hospital. Despite attempts by staff to save him, he died at 7.58am on Saturday, 5 September.
The dog joined Cocoa Police in 2022 and worked alongside K9 Officer Cierra Johnson. He was dual-certified in patrol apprehension and narcotics detection.
During his service, Draco helped officers detain dangerous suspects and remove illegal drugs and firearms from the streets. In March, he was involved in the safe arrest of two suspects during a Cocoa Police operation, including one wanted on a violent felony warrant.
He and Officer Johnson had completed 480 hours of specialist training covering obedience, apprehension work, searches, detection and handler bonding exercises.
A Cocoa Police spokesperson said Draco had been “a trusted partner, a protector, and a deeply loved member of the Cocoa Police family”.
“His dedication and service helped make officers safer and strengthened the department’s ability to protect the community,” the spokesperson added.
