South Miami city police have new canine officer - South Miami

South Miami's newest police officer has a light caramel-colored coat with black markings, and upright black ears. He can sniff out residual particles of narcotics and catch a fugitive swimming across a canal. Best of all for city taxpayers: He's paid in kibble.

General Jack, a 19-month-old Belgian Malinois, arrived last month from Germany to start his new job. Police Chief Orlando Martinez de Castro picked out the 65-pound shepherd dog from a video sent by a broker in Central Florida.

"I knew from the moment I saw him that he was ours," Martinez de Castro said. "He is very social. He is confident, calm, but has the right switch."

In the video, Jack looked playful at first. He was jumping on tables and chairs frantically searching for something. It took one word in German to turn him into a ferocious beast who inspires fear.

"He is very passive but if you give him the right commands he turns on like a light bulb," said Officer Rafael Gonzalez, 26, who will be the dog's handler. "These dogs are kind of bipolar."

Trainers say Malinois shepherds are popular with the military as well as police. They can handle high heat, making them suited for life in the Middle East as well as South Florida.

Malinois dogs have some genetic traits descended from wolves. Breeders and trainers who interact with them say the dog needs a handler with a strong hand. Gonzalez carries dog treats in a plastic bag in his pocket. Gonzalez has already learned five out of the 20 German commands. "Platz" means to lie down. "Fuss" means to kneel. "Brav" means good boy. And "Aus" means to let go.

Martinez de Castro selected the handler before selecting the dog. Gonzalez, who graduated from the police academy in 2008, said his new assignment is a dream come true.

"It's a process that requires an oral interview. We review the officer's productivity, sick time use, policing record," said Maj. Rene Landa. "He was one of the top producers."

In March, General Jack flew from Frankfurt to Orlando International Airport in a crate. The co-owner of Police Service Dogs Inc., Lazaro Cabrera, picked him up and drove him to his home in Oxford, Fla.

Cabrera, a former Sweetwater police dog handler, has specialized in finding and training dogs that do patrol work, and narcotics and explosive detection since 2000. He said he has contacts with European breeders and buyers in Central and South America.

"In Europe you get more for your money, and they have been doing this for longer than Americans have," said Cabrera. "The dogs we choose have to have solid nerves. They have to be able to withstand loud noises like gunfire."

Martinez de Castro, Gonzalez, Lt. Larry Corlin and Detective Jose Lopez drove to Cabrera's home in Oxford to meet the dog in person.

"The level of intelligence that these animals have is intriguing," said Cabrera. "The relationships you build with them are as strong as the ones you have with humans."

Cabrera performed several tests to show that the candidate was capable of tackling suspects. And Jack showed off his dexterity, swimming about 20 yards in a pool full of plastic bottles.

"He demonstrated exceptional courage and had a good bite," said Martinez de Castro. "He is not afraid of walking on slippery surfaces or of unusual sounds. He throws his whole body into the fight. There were five shots and he was still biting."

The police department was able to obtain the dog with the help of donations from Larkin Hospital ($5,000) and the Grafica Group ($5,000). Veterinary expenses and food will cost the department about $2,000 a year, the chief said.

An important step for Gonzalez was to introduce Jack to his family since he is going to be taking him home every day.

"My 15-month-old son loves him. He comes up and touches him and he gets along great with my wife," Gonzalez said. "These dogs are extremely loyal. They are very protective of their pack."

Maj. Landa has seen police dogs find pounds and pounds of money and cocaine. He said the relationship between the dog and his handler is like no other.

"The officer spends more time with the dog than with his family," said Landa. "When it comes down to it, they have each other's backs. The dog won't let him hang out to dry."

Gonzalez and Jack will fine-tune their skills for three months at the Miami Police Department Training Center. They also will have to do a 200-hour course to work on detection skills.

Narcotics detectives Sujey Espinoza, 27, and Roger Hernandez, 31, are very excited about their new teammates, and have high expectations for them.

"We are going to be sweeping the streets to improve the community," Espinoza said. The detectives said the drugs most commonly found in South Miami are marijuana and crack cocaine.

"People get really smart with their hiding places. You can't fool a dog. He will find it no matter where they put it," said Hernandez.