The Florala Police Department has launched a death investigation after an officer was found dead in his residence.

Florala Police Chief Sonny Bedsole confirmed that K9 officer and Sgt. Paul Adams, 31, was found dead in his home around 10:30 yesterday morning.

“We know from his girlfriend that he was up sick from 1 to 3 a.m. with flu-like symptoms,” Bedsole said.

The girlfriend went back around 10:30 to check on him and found him deceased on the couch in the living room, he said.

“At this time we don’t feel that there is any foul play suspected,” Bedsole said. “However, an autopsy is being conducted to try to determine the cause of death.”

Adams had been sick with flu-like symptoms and his girlfriend was trying to get him to go to the ER, he told the Star-News.

“He didn’t want to go to the doctor, he said he would be fine,” Bedsole said. “He was just kind of hard-headed about it.”

Adams left early Monday after another officer relieved him, stating he did not feel well, Bedsole said.

The officer was expected to attend a grand jury hearing yesterday.

“Yes, it is quite an unexpected thing,” he said. “It is probably going to be natural causes, but we want to make sure.”

Bedsole said he expects the preliminary autopsy reports sometime on Friday and will release them unless the material is sensitive to Adams’ family.

Adams had been with the department going on five years, Bedsole said.

“He was a friend and a hell of an officer,” Bedsole said. “He ran the K9 unit down here; he was very professional with his cases that he made.

“I don’t know how else you would term it,” he said. “He was a good guy and a criminal’s nightmare.”