The Pekin Police Department has a new member - a 2-year-old Dutch shepherd dog named Ahen (ah HEEN').

Ahen and his handler, Officer Rob Jones, went through three months of specialized training at the Illinois State Police Academy before the dog went on active duty in May. Ahen was born in Turkey and knows commands in Turkish, German and Dutch. Jones says the dog can detect drugs, search buildings and track people.

But Jones says Ahen also loves to play and is very sociable. The cost to buy and train Ahen was $8,000. The dog replaces Kazan, who retired from the Pekin department after three years. Ahen is the seventh Pekin police dog since the department started a K-9 unit in 1993.