Lead Story

Officer, dog bond as police department's first K-9 unit

The newest member of the Purdue University Police Department is specially trained to track criminals, apprehend fleeing suspects and locate narcotics in vehicles and residence halls.

And he does it all on four legs.

Nicky, a 2 1/2 year-old Dutch Shepherd who joined the department in March, already has led to the arrests of 22 individuals in the Greater Lafayette area. Along with his partner and handler, Officer Andy Standifer, the K-9 has been cruising campus streets in search of those who fail to meet the expectations of the law.