K-9 Cop Dasty Shows Off Skills in Newton [VIDEO]

Newton City Hall grounds were filled with police units Monday as dogs searched for narcotics, weapons and a suspect. 

But there were no arrests made and the weapon was a fake. 

Instead, the Newton Police Department was introducing its new K-9 program, with a little help from an Arlington canine cop. 

Dasty, part of t he 's K-9 unit, nearly dragged handler Mike Hogan across the City Hall lawn to a tan pick-up truck parked on the grass. Within a few seconds, the dog was barking and scratching at the truck's gas cap, where heroin was hid. 

Shortly after, Hogan tossed a towel toy to Dasty.

"Everything we do with the dog is done on a reward system," Hogan said. 

Hogan explained that the dogs are trained to work and be rewarded with something once they find the gun, drugs or suspect. When the dog receives the toy, it knows it has completed the task and can shut off from work mode, allowing anyone to come by and pet it.

But when they hop out of a kennel or a cruiser, they're ready to work.

That built-up energy and the constant desire to work, though, does not make them good house pets, Hogan said.

"But that’s what makes them such great police dogs, they will work past exhaustion," Hogan said. "As a handler, it is our job to watch the dog, protect the dog and make sure that we don’t over-work the dog."