By Elizabeth Wilkerson -- Daily Staff Writer

STRASBURG — As he alternately fetches and enthusiastically chomps a rubber toy during a sunny afternoon at the town park, it's easy to think of Ike as a typical playful pooch.

But being man's best friend isn't Ike's day job — the 3-year-old German shepherd has a nose for narcotics and concealed humans, and is the newest addition to Strasburg's police force.

Officer Derek Kniceley, Ike's handler, said he and the 92-pound pup have worked together for about 18 weeks, including 14 weeks at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility just south of Front Royal. While in school, the dogs and handlers were evaluated every three to four weeks, both individually and as pairs, Kniceley said, and Ike was trained in two other classes before the pair began working together.

"They want to make sure they're putting quality dogs out on the street," he said. "[Ike's] a great partner to have. He's like my right hand man. ... He's just a good work dog."

Strasburg Police Chief Tim Sutherly said getting a dog was a priority for the department "because of the growing drug problem in our community that we wanted to try to keep a lid on." Ike is trained to detect a variety of illegal drugs, including marijuana, hash, cocaine, methamphetamine, Ecstasy and heroine, as well as humans, Kniceley said.

Keeping Ike will cost about $1,100 annually, Sutherly said, "which he will return about tenfold to us just in drug seizure money every year." Though he's been on the job for only a month, Ike has already found marijuana, cocaine and heroine, the chief said.

"He's going to be an outstanding tool for us," he said. Both Kniceley and Ike "seem to really enjoy what they're doing," he said, and Ike is "a good PR tool for us, too."

"Everybody likes dogs," he said. "Not everybody likes police officers, but everybody likes dogs."

Kniceley, 30, has been a member of the Police Department for five years. He said he loves dogs and jumped at the opportunity to work with one.

"It's something I've wanted to do since I got into law enforcement," he said. Working with Ike is a "great opportunity for me and the town," he said, "but it is a big responsibility for me being the first one" to work with a dog.

"He stays with me, he lives with me," Kniceley said. "I work with him every day. ... Even when I'm off, I don't want him to be lazy."

Ike works for jute toys or rolled-up burlap sacks or towels, which Kniceley uses to praise and reward him for accurate alerts, he said. When Ike picks up a scent, he weaves back and forth "like a shark," Kniceley said, until he finds the source.

"It's really neat to see when you're working," he said.

Learning to read and trust the dog is key for a handler, he said.

"It's tricky," he said. "You've got to make sure you're reading your dog. ... It was tough when I first started."

Now, Kniceley is one of the few people Ike doesn't bark at, he said. Ike is possessive of his handler, and both Sutherly and Kniceley said that's what you want.

"When I get out of the car, he's watching every move I make," Kniceley said. "It's great to know he's there."

When they aren't patrolling the streets of Strasburg, Kniceley and Ike will be working in the schools, doing demonstrations or even helping out in other jurisdictions. But, though he's on call 24 hours a day, Ike isn't all business, Kniceley said.

"At home, he's different," Kniceley said. "He's just like a puppy. ... He just wants to play and work hard."

* Contact Elizabeth Wilkerson at ewilkerson@nvdaily.com