End of watch: Community mourns loss of K-9 officer Wright

Whether through her service to the country in the U.S. Army, her commitment to the community with her police work or by providing emergency medical services, Miranda Wright made an impact that can be felt far and wide.

That impact filled the pews of First Baptist Church in Olney where a memorial was held in her honor Wednesday, Aug. 7. Wright passed away from colon cancer Saturday, Aug. 3 and closed out a 20-year career of service.

She served the citizens of Young County for a combined 20 years and most recently had her home at the Olney Police Department and Olney EMS. 

Her law enforcement career was spent mostly with K-9 partners Fox at OPD, Sam at the Young County Sheriff’s Office and her last partner at OPD, Bond.

“Bond and her were like one. I’ve run a dog and I’ve been around a lot of people who run dogs and it was like they were one,” Wright’s best friend and fellow K-9 handler Hailey Calcote said. “You have a bond with your K-9, but I’ve never actually seen a stronger bond than what they had. He knew what she was thinking even before she knew what she was thinking and it was fun to watch. It was fun to watch them grow and excel.”

The two competed in the United States Police Canine Association trials, which were held in Graham in 2022 and will return in 2025. 

“There wasn’t much we didn’t do together, especially when it came to K-9. We came out and trained all the time together. There was a group of us and she dubbed us the K-9 Kult,” Calcote said.

Both Wright and Calcote had a knack of speaking with their K-9 partners like they were any other law enforcement officer.

“We always made a joke that we couldn’t go to a psychiatrist because they would tell us we were crazy because we drove around all day and talked to dogs and they talked back to us,” Calcote said.

The Graham Leader recently featured Wright in the Hometown Heroes section in July and she said the connection between a handler and K-9 partner can be stronger than that of a human officer.

“You have an amazing partner. Believe it or not, they do talk back. ...You automatically have a partner 24/7 in your car which is not something you have around here,” Wright said. “A lot of what I do is narcotics related. …It’s a cat mouse game. They try to get away with it, you try to catch them.”

Calcote said Wright had a passion for adventure and a love of photography which led the two across the state visiting state parks and walking trails. 

Wright was known for always having witty or sarcastic comebacks.

“Her favorite thing to say that she probably said 100 times in a day was ‘Bite me,’ and then she stuck her tongue out at you,” Calcote said. “...That’s how you always knew she liked you is if she said ‘Bite me.’”

OPD Chief Dan Birbeck said he became friends with Wright in 2009 while he was a YCSO deputy. He said her passion for being a K-9 handler was evident due to her dedication to both the department and community.

“Miranda was more than just an officer. She was a beacon of dedication, passion and kindness, touching the lives of everybody that she encountered,” Birbeck said during the memorial service. “Miranda’s passion for being a K-9 handler was evident to all who knew her. Her dedication to fighting crime making our streets safer was unparalleled. Through her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment, she played a pivotal role in reducing crime rates in Olney, making our city a better place for all residents.”

Birbeck said support came from the community as well as multiple other law enforcement agencies.

“We’ve had multiple agencies that surround Young County offer to assist and help cover the city for the funeral. We had an amazing escort that we brought her home from United Regional with agencies from Wichita Falls SO, Wichita Falls PD, Archer County SO, Archer (City) police, game wardens (and) troopers,” Birbeck said before the service. “Even Clay County, all the EMS services between here and there, the fire departments, everybody came out and we brought her home with probably 50 police cars escorting her down (Hwy.) 79.”

That law enforcement support extended to the memorial service, with police and sheriff's officers from Baylor County, Clay County, Denton County, Jack County, Montague County, Taylor County, Wise County, Wichita County, Young County, as well as members of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Game Wardens and more making an appearance.

During the service, her K-9 partner Bond was led up to say a goodbye to Wright and the Wichita Falls Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard folded and presented the American flag to Birbeck who presented it to her family. 

Olney Mayor Rue Rogers spoke about Wright’s resolve and commitment to serving and protecting others.

“She understood the true meaning of duty and sacrifice, and her actions spoke volumes about the kind of person she was,” he said. “She impacted numerous people throughout our entire community and the entire county. A kind word, a helping hand, a simple smile, or a steadfast presence during difficult times. She made a difference every single day.”

The Olney chief encouraged those at the memorial to use Wright’s commitment to serve as a guiding light and an initiative to have the same passion as her. 

Birbeck said Wright’s absence from the department has left a void that would take three officers to replace.

“For such little feet, I have big shoes to fill,” he said during the service. “Your legacy will live on in the hearts that you touched, and your impact on our community will never be forgotten.”