The Lakeland Police Department is keeping Navy SEAL Austin Rivers Irby’s memory alive.
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 …