RICHMOND — The city of Richmond honored fallen K9 officer Seara Burton Wednesday in a permanent way.
The Chester Boulevard Bridge above Interstate 70 was dedicated as Officer Seara Burton Memorial Bridge.
"Seara deserves this. Seara deserves to be remembered and honored in any way possible. She gave her life to protect the city," said RPD Sgt. Amy Miller, Seara's stepmom.
K9 officer Burton's dedication was in a room filled with her immediate family and law enforcement family.
"I promised her before she'd passed that I'd never let her be forgotten. I adopted hashtag until my last breath to promise just that," said Miller.
Burton was shot on August 10, 2022, during a traffic stop.
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She was surrounded by loved ones in the hospital following the incident. She died nearly 6 weeks later.
"Her resilience, not only how she carried herself daily, but also how she fought for nearly 40 days when many only would've expected 40 minutes," said Chief Kyle Weatherly.
"It's been two years since that awful day and we still hurt, we still grieve," said Miller.
Her smile, laugh and kindness is deeply missed but her name is being etched into history for generations to come. They’ll know who Seara Burton is and the ultimate sacrifice she made.
"The first K9 in the department, with her partner Brev, Officer Burton left an impact and paved a path for those that will come behind her," said Rep. Greg Pence.
Her family also wants change in the justice system.
"Too often violent offenders are back on the street due to lighter sentences for a multitude of crimes. It's vital that families and stakeholders band together to reduce inadequate plea bargains and early release drastically," said Miller. "With change, we can hopefully prevent these types of tragedies from devastating other families."
