LAKELAND, Fla. — The Lakeland Police Department is welcoming a new K-9 to its ranks and he's been named after a local hero.
Chief Special Warfare Operator Austin Rivers Irby was a Navy SEAL and a Lakeland native. He passed away in August of 2022.
"After hearing stories of his devout service to his country, we knew that we wanted to do something to ensure his memory would be honored," the Lakeland Police Department wrote in a social media post.
When the department brought in a new K-9 officer, the decision was made to name him after Irby.
Irby's fellow service members called him "Big Irb," so, with permission from Irby's family, the department named their newest K-9 officer, "K-9 Big Irb."
His name is in honor of Irby's life and service to our country, the department said.
K-9 Big Irb has been paired with Officer Fernandez. They each have completed more than 880 hours of combined training and received certifications in patrol operations and narcotics detection.
"Before joining the Lakeland Police Department in 2022, Officer Fernandez was a middle school teacher, bringing a unique perspective to his role as a police officer. After serving in our Uniform Patrol division for a year, he tested and was accepted to the K-9 Unit. This dynamic duo is ready to serve their community," the department wrote.
"Thank you to the Irby family for granting us the ability to honor Austin. We will always remember his incredible service to our country."
