Mok Metal will begin patrolling in January with his handler Sgt. Andy Bevil. He’ll replace Sgt. Bevil’s previous partner Creed who was killed last summer.
Mok, a 19-month old German Shepard, is currently undergoing training in Poteau, along with a handful of other dogs.
From biting techniques that could be used against dangerous criminals to sniffing out drugs hidden away in a box, it's all part of the training these dogs go through.
"They enjoy the work,” said Justin Adams, a trainer with Vigilant K9 Services International. “Everything they do is for a game. When they're searching for drugs - they're searching for a ball."
But that doesn't mean these dogs take these tasks lightly. They work close to 40 hours every week.
Mok was brought in from Germany.
“He's extremely high strung,” Sgt. Bevil said. “He's an aggressive alert to the odor of narcotics."
Sgt. Bevil found Creed dead in his kennel in August. Since then the Panama Police Department has worked with Vigilant K9 Services to get a new K9 on the force.
"Unfortunately, the dog’s job is to save the human's life,” Adams said. “We send these dogs into areas that it’s not so safe for the human to go in. If we're looking for a bad guy in a building - the dog's going to be the one going in."
Purchasing and training Mok cost more than $10,000.
The Panama Police Department still needs close to $6,500 to pay for him. They've been working to raise the money since Creed's death.
If you're interested in donating visit http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/travis-yates-2/creed
Legislation is currently being reviewed in Oklahoma to raise the charge of killing a K9 from a misdemeanor to a felony.
For more on Vigilant K9 Services visit www.vigilantcanine.com