Miami Police introduce new K-9 Samson to the force

Miami Police welcomed a brand-new four-legged member to the force: Samson, a K-9 officer with a specific purpose. The one-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd has been paired with Sgt. Jesse Rodriguez, an 18-year veteran of the force.

During an introductory press conference on Friday, Rodriguez already began showing praise for his new partner.

"K-9 Samson, he's been great. As you can see, he's social," Rodriguez remarked.

The department said Samson, who was born in Europe, isn't just an obedient member of the team; he's also completed three months of specialized training to become a firearm-detecting K-9.

"There's a lot of work that lies ahead," said Chief Edwin Lopez during Friday's introduction, "so God willing, we're going to get many years of service out of these dogs. They often are able to provide seven, eight, even 10 years sometimes of service."

It's not all work for Samson; Sgt. Rodriguez said the department makes sure to provide for Samson outside of duty as well.

"We try to give him a good life outside of work, to try and treat him like part of the family," he said, "but also, when it's time to work, they're professional enough to turn it on."