KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Recruits at the Kansas City Police Academy remember a fallen officer and K9 one step at a time.

It’s tradition for each academy class to chose a fallen police officer to honor during a class run before the recruits graduate.

The officers learn about the officer and think of that person’s service while on the run.

Members of the current 176th Entrant Officer Class decided to pay tribute to Officer James Muhlbauer and K9 Champ.

Muhlbauer and Champ died on February 15 after another driver ran a red light and crashed into their patrol vehicle.

Recruits left from the police memorial in front of KCPD Headquarters downtown Friday morning. They carried a police academy flag and ran in formation about two miles. The class run ended at Truman Road and Benton Boulevard where the deadly crash happened.

The police department says the recruits graduate from the academy in less than two weeks.