BURNET, Texas — The Burnet Police Department has lost a beloved officer and K9 handler, the department said Friday.
According to the City of Burnet, on Friday, Burnet County Communications received a call from the wife of Officer Jose Meza that Meza was experiencing a medical emergency at their home.
On-duty BPD officers responded to the home and immediately began life-saving measures on Meza. Burnet EMS arrived on the scene a short time later and took over. Meza was transported to Seton Highland Lakes, where he died shortly after arrival.
Meza was escorted by first responders to the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office in Austin. There, Meza's preliminary cause of death was ruled to be a heart attack. Meza had participated in K9 training with his K9 partner "Kuso" hours before he suffered his fatal heart attack, and his death is being considered a "line of duty death" by the BPD.
The fire department had a flag set over the police department Friday morning.
BPD held a procession at around 10:30 a.m. Friday, where BPD asked the public to "please show your support for Officer Meza’s family and our Burnet PD family by lining this route." A line of people could be seen at the procession Friday from Highway 281 to Highway 29 to U.S. Route 183.
Meza worked for BPD for just over a year and had previously served for the Llano County Sheriff's Office. He is survived by his wife and young daughter.
There will be a viewing and rosary held for Meza at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Burnet on Sunday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Funeral services, with full police honors, will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at the St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Marble Falls.
The funeral procession will leave the church, heading north on Highway 281, then west on Highway 29 to Post Mountain Cemetary at 321 Southland Dr. in Burnet, where graveside services will be held. According to the City, citizens are welcome to line the procession route after the funeral service.