Park City Mayor Nann Worel officially swore in the Park City Police Department’s newest member, Bruno, during the city council meeting Thursday night.
Bruno is a chocolate lab trained to detect the scent of 20 different explosives. The police department said Bruno graduated from the Utah Peace Officer Standards and Training canine school this week and is considered its unofficial valedictorian.
As part of the swearing-in ceremony, Worel asked Bruno to promise to support, obey and defend the United States and Utah constitutions.
“If you accept these responsibilities, then catch this ball,” Worel said.
Bruno fumbled the grab on his first try, but then scooped it up to earn the badge that was pinned to his collar as a crowd of over 30 locals cheered on.
They included students from Austyn Borjigin’s fifth-grade McPolin Elementary class who won a school contest to give the four-legged crime fighter his name.
Student Elise Bodnar said she was the one who pitched the name and loved seeing Bruno be sworn in.
“I thought it really suited him, and I thought it had a good chance at winning,” she said. “It was funny to watch him catch the ball.”
Student Caio Treutwein clarified that the canine’s full name is Bruno the Bomb Sniffer. And Tavi Miller voted for the name because the name just fit.
“He just looks like a Bruno, like the chocolate lab, you know? And like his personality kind of is just like, really Bruno-y-ish,” she said.
Officer Wayne Henderson is Bruno’s handler. He said Bruno is trained to sniff out the chemicals and materials used to make explosives. He currently has 20 scent certifications, but Henderson said that number will go up.
He said Bruno will doggedly work to keep the community safe.
"We will do anything from suspicious packages to protective sweeps to go and make sure everything is fine,” Henderson said. “Any events or venues that we have, I'm hoping to make contact with all the hotels.”
Henderson said Bruno is also a community dog and hopes the K9 will be a reassuring presence in Park City.
