Newest member of Freeport's police force is a real dog

FREEPORT, Ill. (AP) - He's not even four years old but the newest member of the Freeport Police Department is already sniffing out bad guys.

The Journal-Standard in Freeport reports that the police department in the northern Illinois community says a German shepherd named Simon has joined the force. Simon transferred from the Boone County Sheriff's Department because its handler, Officer David Mordt, joined the department after 31 years in law enforcement in the county.

Simon is already making his presence known - particularly to Otto, the Belgian Malinois that joined the force three years ago. It seems even after Otto welcomed Simon with open paws, Mordt says that Simon wasn't very nice to Otto the first time they met.

But Mordt says that the two dogs are now doing better after training together.