How does an officer find the perfect animal to become a K-9 police dog and expert in bomb detection? In the case of Sgt. Bryce Lewis, Provo’s bomb squad commander, you look in the classifieds and at your local animal shelter.

There are several types of trained K-9 officers. Some do bomb sniffing, there are patrol and attack dogs, while others search for drugs. The Provo Police Department has two bomb sniffers and two patrol K-9s.

“When one of our Bomb Squad K9s, Mira, was due for retirement in September 2021, a search began for her replacement,” reads a post on the department’s Facebook page. “Sergeant Lewis, Bomb Squad Commander, searched many classified ads including those from local animal shelters. When he came across a shelter’s ad with the words ‘This dog will destroy your yard and won’t listen to anyone unless you have a toy’ he saw those as the kind of traits we needed for a high drive working dog.”

Lewis and Travis Eddington, K-9 handler for Utah Valley Hospital and a K-9 instructor for Police Officers Standards and Training, went to meet the dog, Scout, and put him through his paces.

Scout was still a bit of a puppy at just 1 year old; he was unwanted and uncared for. But he had a great nose for sniffing out things and was always up for learning something new.

“Scout tested well,” according to the Facebook post. “Sgt. Lewis notified the shelter that ‘He did really good on his interview, and we would like to offer him a full-time position with Provo Police Department.'”

Scout is a mix-breed of Labrador retriever and German shorthaired pointer. Many of the Provo PD’s K-9s are German shepherds or Malinois. The smaller shorthairs are good hunting dogs, according to Lewis.

Staff at the North County Animal Shelter were so happy for Scout’s new prospects, they waived the fees and sent him on, saved from the shelter and with a new career as a potential member of Provo’s K-9 unit.

“Officer Adam Tona was assigned as Scout’s handler. He successfully certified Scout through both the POST and Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms K-9 Explosive Detection School, and now Scout can detect 27 different odors,” Provo PD said in its social media post. “They have been partners together on patrol for 19 months. One of Scout’s best finds so far is detecting a firearm and ammunition at a crime scene.”

With Scout’s talented nose, Lewis said the police team could be called out to help anywhere in the state. Unlike drug sniffers, bomb dogs are long-sweep dogs, like sniffing out a whole school, rather than the trunk of a car. In Scout’s time of service, he will help with parades, concerts, dignitary visits and a variety of other occasions and emergencies.

“Officer Tona and Scout responded just last week to the Pleasant Grove High School bomb threat,” Lewis said. “We do all the training on our dogs.” He noted all of the dogs in the unit are wonderful and well-trained in their specialties.

Taking the young dog and having him be a leader in such a short time and early age speak well to his training.

“It shows (the) hard work and dedication Tona has done with Scout after two years. It’s quite amazing,” Lewis said.

On March 17, Tona took Scout to the Annual Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department K-9 Trials. Officers and their K-9 partners from all over the country gather to compete. As many as 70 police, security and casino K-9s took part.

“Scout and his handler were put through various detection exercises and did so well they took second place in the competition,” the Facebook statement said. “We are proud of Scout’s achievement, and the work Officer Tona has put into Scout’s training. Scout was always a good boy; he just needed the right training and the right job.”

Scout, a one-time unwanted under-dog is now among the top dogs in the nation’s K-9 circuits, according to the online statement. He is also an ambassador for Provo’s Police Department and its K-9 unit. Don’t be fooled, this K-9 officer knows his job and is very good at it.

The average length of service for a K-9, depending on its health, is about six to eight years. When Scout retires, Officer Tona will have the first right to take him home and be a family dog. Scout will have already lived with the family for his length of service.

Scout is a great dog and has probably followed through with the original ad about him and has destroyed Officer Tona’s back yard, Lewis commented.

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