St. JOHNSBURY - The St. Johnsbury Police have acquired their newest member of the Police Force; a five-month-old German Shepherd by the name of Scout.

Scout is the first K9 unit for St. Johnsbury and Officer Justin Hoyt his handler says, "He's awesome, he's a great dog.  So far he's been a great family dog.  I look forward to seeing what he can do in police work.  I have high hopes for him."  The program was approved last fall and Hoyt was given Scout almost four months ago.

Hoyt already has one dog in his home, an adult husky whom Scout has been getting along with very well.  Hoyt said that they are, "best buds."  Hoyt also has a young daughter who has bonded quite well with Scout.  "They play fetch every night together.  My daughter, she's eighteen months old, she's funny because she throws the ball and then yells go.  She is teaching him how to play," said Hoyt.

It's not all fun and games, after all Scout is a Police dog.  Scout will leave in two weeks to begin his training.  It will start without his handler at obedience training.  Hoyt will join him for the last few weeks.  At training, Scout will learn the basic commands that are required for a police dog, as well as start him on tracking and patrolling training and firearms familiarity.  "They get him used to the sound of firearms.  Some dogs can become scared of the sound of pistols or rifles, obviously that's not a trait you're looking for in a police dog so if you can familiarize them at an early age then that sound doesn't bother them," said Hoyt.

Scouts training will not end there.  In July both Scout and Officer Hoyt will be attending tracking and patrol school at the police academy.  This training will teach both Officer Hoyt and Scout what they need to know in order to track both fugitives and missing persons.  They will also learn how to patrol together and how Scout can effectively be used in almost every situation.  After the summer Scout will be able to Patrol officially with Officer Hoyt before attending drug training school next January.

But the fact that Scout isn't fully trained yet hasn't stopped Hoyt from bringing him to work with him.  "I started to bring him to work pretty much every shift to get him used to the guys and take him out.  He's riding in the backseat getting to see the town, like I said he gets to meet some of the merchants and some of the citizens and most of them spoil him.  So he enjoys that as well which is good," said Hoyt.

Plans are in the work to get Scout his own bullet proof vest, but because he is still a puppy, he still has quite a bit of growing to do before they can fit him properly.  In fact, Officer Hoyt says that he could potentially double his size when he is full grown.