Joplin flags to fly at half-staff to honor police dog

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) -- Joplin city flags will fly at half-staff Wednesday to honor the first police dog killed in the line of duty in the city's history.

A memorial service is scheduled for 4 p.m. on the front steps of police headquarters for Cezar, a 7-year-old German Shepherd.

Cezar was shot in the head while chasing a suspect in an armed robbery a week ago.

It is the first service death of a police dog in Joplin since the city started using K-9 units in the late 1980s. Cezar had been with the force since 2001.

The city has three other police dogs. It will be able to acquire a new fourth dog with the help of thousands of dollars in donations from individuals and a local company, Mars Petcare.