California Police Officers Honor K-9 Killed in the Line of Duty

Four-year-old Credo was a beloved member of the Long Beach Police Department.

ByABC News
June 29, 2016, 11:15 AM

— -- California police officers gathered to honor a fallen K-9 team member on Tuesday.

Police officers saluted Credo, a Belgian Malinois, as he was carried out of the animal hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Credo succumbed to injuries sustained during a SWAT call involving a suspect wanted in connection with an assault with a deadly weapon investigation, the Long Beach Police Department said in a statement.

Credo, 4, served served the community with the LBPD for two years and was involved in over 30 apprehensions, according to the department.

PHOTO: The fallen K-9 officer, Credo, is seen here in a photo that was posted to the Long Beach Police Department's Twitter page, June 28, 2016.
The fallen K-9 officer, Credo, is seen here in a photo that was posted to the Long Beach Police Department's Twitter page, June 28, 2016.

"This is going to be a substantial loss to our K-9 corps, to our K-9 handler that has worked with Credo for those last two years and to the Long Beach police family," LBPD Deputy Chief Richard Conant said at press conference on Tuesday.

"These K-9s are not just dogs. They are police officers. That's going to weigh heavily on the department."

The LBPD asked members of the community to keep Officer Mike Parcells, Credo's handler, in their thoughts.