Bradley Co. announces funeral arrangements for canine officer

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – The funeral arrangements for K-9 Deputy Lucy have been finalized, and the public and all first responders are invited to attend.

Visitation and a funeral service will both be held on Friday, June 16, 2017 at Michigan Avenue Elementary School, located at 188 Michigan Avenue School Rd. in Cleveland, TN 37312.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m.

A motorcade will leave Faithful Friend Pet Crematory and Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. and travel to Michigan Elemenatary School. Shortly after the funeral, a processional will leave the school and proceed back to the funeral home, where Lucy will be cremated.

Her cremains will be returned on Saturday, June 17, 2017 to her K-9 handler, Patrol Deputy Chris Shope.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) – The runaway Bradley County Sheriff’s canine that escaped over the weekend has been found dead.

The Sheriff’s Department reports that Lucy’s body was found at 10:19 AM inside McMinn County.

Searchers found her body near a railroad track and believe she was hit by a train.

Her caretakers found she was missing from her kennell on Cass Street in Charleston on Sunday morning.

There were numerous sitings by the public along Highway 11.

Lucy was a Belgium Malinois and joined the department in October of 2016.

She was nicknamed “Pocket Rocket” by Sheriff’s personnel due to her speed.

Sheriff Eric Watson sent this statement on Lucy.

“Our agency is saddened by the tragic death of K-9 Deputy Lucy. She was a great asset to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, and served this agency well beside her assigned K-9 handler. Our female canine deputy will be buried with full honors, and Faithful Friends has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.

I petition the community to pray for Lucy’s K-9 handler, Deputy Chris Shope, during this time who treasured Lucy tremendously.”