BATON ROUGE - Louisiana State Police announced the death of a beloved K-9 named Rico who worked alongside troopers for nine years.

Rico, a Belgian Malinois, retired from the force in February of 2018, and spent his retirement with his handler’s family.

Louisiana State Police took to Facebook to post the following about Rico, "Throughout Rico’s career, he played an integral part in the seizure of over three-million dollars in U.S. Currency and illegal narcotics. He was trained to detect marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.

Rico’s handler would like to wish a special thank you to Haughton Animal Hospital for their continued care over the years."

A police dog, also known as K-9 or K9, is a dog that is specially trained to assist members of law enforcement. Dogs have been used in such a capacity since the Middle Ages.

The most commonly used breeds are German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, but several other breeds are represented having some unique talents. Basset Hounds, Bloodhounds, and Labrador Retrievers, for example, are known for their tracking, trailing, and detection skills.

In the United States, Police K-9's typically serve in the force for 6 to 9 years.