TAKING A BITE OUT OF CRIME: Bullard Police Department’s newest K-9 patrol consists of Officer Steven Anderson and police dog Tattle. The Bullard Police Department has chosen to appoint veteran officer Steven Anderson as the department’s new K-9 officer and the handler of the department’s new police dog, named Tattle.

Patrol Sergeant Jeff Bragg said a combination of Anderson’s interview, resume and track record all aided in the selection of him as the new K-9 officer.

“He’s been here long and has more seniority and has more law enforcement than anybody (that applied),” Bragg said. “He has a lot of experience with dogs, he had a good interview, a good resume and all that combines to make him a really good officer. He is good with people and the public-relations aspect of the job and is dependable. We know he’ll work hard to do the job well.”

Anderson and Tattle will be getting acquainted with each other as she will be spending as much time with him as possible until they become properly acquainted. Although the two will be attending a few different training courses in the coming months, Tattle will be riding along with Anderson on his patrol routes.

Anderson must become a member of the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association, and Tattle must become certified. Brag said he is confident that the two will be ready to attend the yearly NNDDA conference beginning on April 30 in Vicksburg, Miss.

“(Anderson) will train with her on a daily basis and whenever he can,” Bragg said. “They will be together every day. It’s all about the dog getting used to him.”

Bragg said, in the past, the department had used a high-ranking NNDDA member in Jacksonville to train the officers and dogs, and said that was a possibility, this time.

“Our intentions are to complete the 40-hour conference. We would like to have all the training and certification done before then.”