"The drive in these dogs is so natural:" Meet the newest member of the Greenfield Police Department

GREENFIELD -- He's smart, he's fast, and ferocious if need be. The newest member of the Greenfield Police Department got to work catching bad guys his first day on the job.

K-9 Ocho just tracked a weapon -- practice for when a suspect tosses a gun during a chase. This is one of his many skills.

"He'll do narcotics, he can locate, indicate the odor of the narcotics. He'll search for people, he'll search for evidence, he'll track people, and he can do apprehension work as well," said Officer Jonah Kowalkowski, Greenfield Police Department.

Ocho is the newest member of the Greenfield Police Department's K-9 unit. He's one of two dogs on the force.

Officer Jonah Kowalkowski is his handler. They both just got back from training together in North Carolina.

"The drive in these dogs is so natural. They want to work, they love it," said Kowalkowski.

K-9 Ocho has been on the force for just under two weeks and he's been on a couple of calls already. The first was a very exciting one.

"Our very first night working together there was an armed robbery at a local gas station -- two individuals came in and robbed the clerks at gunpoint," said Kowalkowski.

But Ocho's job is more than chasing bad guys. He's a bond between the police department and the community.

"He will be in a parade, we have already done a demonstration at the local grade school with the girl scouts," said Kowalkowski.

Ocho is 18 months old -- and is still learning. But he's already making a difference in the community.

Ocho takes over for K-9 Karma -- who recently retired.