LAYTON — A newly certified drug-sniffing dog assigned to the Davis County Sheriff’s Office made a bust during his first day on the job.
Hasko, a 4-year-old German shepherd, and his handler, Deputy Mike Benoit, were certified Tuesday, said Sgt. Susan Poulsen.
Benoit and Hasko were on their first shift together when they assisted other deputies with a traffic stop at 10:45 p.m. on 650 North at Interstate 15 in Clearfield.
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Hasko searched around the outside of a vehicle and detected the presence of illegal narcotics, Poulsen said. The deputies then searched the car and a husband and wife in the vehicle.
About 10 grams of methamphetamine were found along with drug paraphernalia that indicated the man is a suspected drug dealer, Poulsen said.
The two occupants of the vehicle were arrested.
Keith Mietus, 52, was arrested on suspicion of distribution of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and a traffic violation.
Christina Mietus, 41, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.
Poulsen praised the work of Hasko on his first day on the job.
“It definitely takes a great deal of training to smell drugs and let his handler know,” she said. “They tell me he has an outstanding nose and will be a very good drug dog for the sheriff’s office. We are excited to see what he can do during his career.”
The sheriff’s office has five drug dogs. The law enforcement careers of the dogs typically span five to seven years.
Poulsen said Hasko replaces K-9 Clyde, a Belgian shepherd malinois who retired prematurely from the sheriff’s office after three years due to health issues.
Benoit, who has been with the sheriff’s office for two years, said he took delivery of Hasko on Dec. 7, with the dog spending about two months in training before being certified.
The pair work the graveyard shift for the sheriff’s office.
