It has been nearly a year since an Omaha police dog was shot and killed in the line of duty. On Tuesday the life of K9 Kobus was honored with the unveiling of a bronze sculpture outside the Gary and Mary West Canine Training Facility in northwest Omaha.
Artist David Biehl from Elkhorn created and cast the bronze sculpture and it was funded through an anonymous donor.
Officer Matt McKinney was Kobus' handler and says he is touched by what will be a permanent reminder of the sacrifice K-9's make to protect officers and the public. "This will be here forever and it means everything to me. It's also a great tribute to the other dogs."
McKinney says officers and their families become very close with the dogs that they care for. "I have two children that took this very hard," McKinney says. "It goes way beyond work with them. This will be here forever and this means everything to me."