The Region - News from Oct. 28, 1985

Old Zero has chased down his last fleeing felon. Santa Ana’s first police dog is dead and soon his cremated remains will be buried along with his badge and ID number. Police officials hope to have a memorial plaque dedicated at the Civic Center in his memory. “We thought about burying him in Huntington Beach at the pet cemetery but then we decided that wouldn’t be right. He belongs here in Santa Ana,” said Officer Raul Luna, who had worked with Zero since the city began its police dog program in March, 1982. There were seven police dogs in the county then, a number that has grown to 47. “He was a hero around here,” police spokeswoman Maureen Thomas said. Zero, who died of natural causes, made some 40 arrests and bit a lot of evildoers in the process.