Cloudy with periods of rain. High 54F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Rain likely. Low near 50F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible.

The Winchester Police Department's newest K-9 officer, Kylo, poses for a portrait Thursday with his partner, Cpl. L. Kieffer, outside the Timbrook Public Safety Building. Kylo, a German shorthaired pointer seen here holding his favorite toy in his mouth, starts training on Monday morning.

Winchester Police Department K-9 officer Kylo leaps for his favorite toy Thursday while playing with his partner, Cpl. L. Kieffer, outside the Timbrook Public Safety Building. The 14-month-old German shorthaired pointer starts a five-week training course Monday that will teach him how to sniff out narcotics.

The Winchester Police Department's newest K-9 officer, Kylo, poses for a portrait Thursday with his partner, Cpl. L. Kieffer, outside the Timbrook Public Safety Building. Kylo, a German shorthaired pointer seen here holding his favorite toy in his mouth, starts training on Monday morning.

Winchester Police Department K-9 officer Kylo leaps for his favorite toy Thursday while playing with his partner, Cpl. L. Kieffer, outside the Timbrook Public Safety Building. The 14-month-old German shorthaired pointer starts a five-week training course Monday that will teach him how to sniff out narcotics.

WINCHESTER — Meet Kylo, a 14-month-old German shorthaired pointer who recently flew in from The Netherlands to help keep narcotics off the streets of Winchester.

Kylo is the Winchester Police Department's newest K-9 officer. He lives with his partner, Cpl. L. Kieffer, and is currently getting acquainted with his new family, coworkers and members of the community.

"I'm stoked to have him," Kieffer said on Thursday.

Kylo was purchased from a company called GardaWorld using money provided by the Frederick County/Winchester Law Enforcement Foundation, a private group that raises cash for police officer recognitions, public outreach programs, student scholarships and more. Kieffer said he did not know how much Kylo cost, but, since the pup was bought before he had received training, the price would have been significantly less than the $50,000 to $60,000 it can take to buy a field-ready K-9.

"It's sometimes better to have them trained by one handler so they imprint with that person," Kieffer said. "I'll have a trainer who trains me, and I'll be handling him (Kylo)."

For now, Kylo is more puppy than professional, but that will change starting Monday when he and Kieffer begin a five-week course to teach Kylo how to sniff out illicit drugs and interact with people in the line of duty. During that process, Kieffer will also teach Kylo obedience and discipline so the energetic young dog learns to resist the urge to playfully pounce passersby, which is something he is currently quite fond of.

Kieffer is a 27-year veteran police officer who retired from the Fairfax Police Department before joining the Winchester Police Department in December. Kylo is his first K-9 partner.

"I was always interested in working with dogs; I just never had the opportunity," Kieffer said. "They can do 10 times the work and sniff things out that a human officer can't."

Once Kylo is fully trained, he will work alongside the Winchester Police Department's other four K-9 officers, including another narcotics dog, two patrol dogs and an emotional support dog. Kieffer said Kylo will split his on-duty responsibilities evenly with the second narcotics dog.

Whenever Kylo finds drugs, tracks down a suspect or completes a task, he will be rewarded with his favorite toy — a hard rubber ball on a piece of rope that he currently carries in his mouth everywhere he goes.

When people in the community encounter Kylo, Kieffer wants them to remember that his partner is on the job.

"He's working, so people shouldn't approach him without permission," he said.

And in case you're wondering, Kylo's name has nothing to do with "Star Wars," a movie series featuring a character named Kylo Ren who is the son of Princess Leia and Han Solo. Instead, his name was inspired by suggestions from area residents.

"We asked the community for input and there were quite a few 'Kilos,'" Kieffer said. "My family didn't like Kilo so much, but they liked Kylo."

— Contact Brian Brehm at bbrehm@winchesterstar.com

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