Mayor Nadia Mohamed administered a ceremonial police officer oath of office to new St. Louis Park K9 Officer Rolo at the June 2 St. Louis Park City Council meeting.

Rolo, the city’s second K9 officer, is a German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix from Slovakia. He’s partnered with Officer Joseph LeFevere and recently graduated from a 12-week training academy where he passed tests in obedience, tracking, explosive detection and apprehension. Rolo’s primary role with the department will be assisting with searches, tracking and explosives detection, and being a very good boy. Rolo and Officer LeFevere will train and recertify annually to ensure top performance and accountability.

The police department started their K9 program in 2023 with the addition of K9 Maverick. K9 officers are known for their incredible sense of smell and locating capabilities. Trained police K9's brains are estimated to be 50 times better than humans at interpreting scent information. As a locating tool, they can find evidence, explosives, drugs or people much more efficiently and effectively than police officers. K9 officers also help to resolve dangerous situations in a safer and more effective manner.