K-9's first bust thrills Salt Lake officer

It's all still a big game to Otto.

For him, finding hidden items means lots of attention.

But when Otto, a Belgian Malinois, helped police officers find meth inside a car Thursday night, he proved he could handle his new job.

"I was so excited last night. I called my wife right away, she was sleeping. I called my dad, and he was getting ready for bed," said Nick Pearce, a K-9 officer with the Salt Lake City police department.

Otto is his dog, who was certified earlier this week after training with Pearce for six weeks.

Only two days later, Otto made his first bust. It was also a first for Pearce.

"I was ecstatic. I haven't smiled like that in a long time," said Pearce, a five-year veteran of the Salt Lake City police department who recently joined the K-9 unit.

The call for K-9 assistance came from West Valley police officers, who had chased a suspect's car into Salt Lake City.

Once Otto started scratching at the center console inside the car, officers started looking and found a half ounce of meth and two guns, one of which was stolen.

"I was a little nervous because it was the first time it was real for us," said Pearce, "but Otto did a great job."

The officer-dog team continues to train almost every single day. Otto is the seventh dog currently on the Salt Lake City police K-9 unit.

"The best is when they find something or someone that wouldn't have been found without the dog, so the service they provide is priceless," said Pearce.

e-mail: acabrero@ksl.com