Criminals may not know it, but they will help replace a Midvale police dog killed this month while pursuing a burglary suspect.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office will pay $10,000 toward buying and training a new dog -- dollars drawn from seized assets once belonging to criminals.

"We feel very strongly," District Attorney Lohra Miller said Tuesday, "that it is appropriate to use a portion of that money to replace Koda."

A 3-year-old Belgian malinois who served with Midvale's police for 18 months, Koda was shot twice in the chest while chasing a burglary suspect. He was the department's first fallen police dog since Midvale started its canine program in 1998.

Funeral services for Koda are scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Hillcrest High.

The County Council signed off on the district attorney's donation Tuesday in a 5-0 vote.

"I couldn't see a better use [for that money]," said Steve DeBry, a Unified Police Department captain and the council's newest member. "That is a wonderful suggestion."

Jeremiah Stettler