Meet Preacher, the Cute and Eager New K9 of the Saco, Maine, Police

The Saco, Maine, Police Department has added a new member to its team, and boy, is he loyal and ready to get to work.

Meet Preacher, a 1.5-year-old black labrador retriever, who according to a Facebook post from the police department, is "eager to get to work for the community."

Bet his New Year's resolutions have a lot to do with helping out Mainers and keeping everyone safe, right?

The Saco police noted that Preacher was adopted in September and recently completed a canine certification for tracking and is now on his way to getting certified in narcotics detection.

The Facebook post also stated that this black lab will be considered the police department's "specialized Search and Rescue dog, assisting Saco and surrounding communities in missions to find missing and lost individuals."

That sounds like one smart pup.

But the real big deal with Preacher joining the force is the fact that in a scenario that requires search and rescue, Saco PD won't have to wait for another Maine police department's trained K9 to get the mission started.

That not only saves time but could "make a significant difference in the outcome of a search and rescue situation," the Facebook post highlighted.

While you might be surprised that Preacher is not the more commonly seen German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois, according to The National Police Dog Foundation, other breeds like the labrador retriever are indeed used, especially for their skills in "tracking, trailing, and detection skills." The foundation also notes basset hounds and bloodhounds have those skills.

Who knows, maybe Preacher will get a doggy friend to join him in the future? Imagine that doggy buddy cop movie.

Good luck in your endeavors, Preacher, and welcome to the department.