The Poland Township Police Department is marking nearly a year of service for its canine officer, Pogo, a former stray.

Pogo, a mixed rescue, was sworn in as a single-purpose narcotics detection dog on April 11, 2024.

According to a Facebook post by the Poland Township Police Department, Pogo assisted in locating crack cocaine, heroin, and paraphernalia in the past month, resulting in four arrests.

Department officials call Pogo’s story “a heroic transformation. " They say her journey began as a stray in Tennessee.

Police Chief Greg Wilson, who had been searching for a canine for a year, located Pogo through The Throw Away Dog Project, a Philadelphia-based rescue organization that finds new roles for dogs.

The Throw Away Dog Project said Pogo was found near a construction site in Tennessee. Before arriving in Ohio, she worked as a ‘pack dog’ with Global K9 Protection Services. The organization selected Pogo for the Poland Township Police Department.

Pogo holds certifications from the State of Ohio and the National Working Dog organization.