One of the things Sharpsville Police Chief Keith Falasco likes most about the department's first-ever corporal is he "never really complains too much about what shift he's put on."

There's good reason for that: The new corporal can't talk because he's the borough's drug dog.

While far from soft-spoken, Ron is a dog of few words. All the borough's K-9 officer offered when asked about his promotion and being named the borough's "Employee of the Quarter" this month was a curt "Woof, woof!"

Falasco was a bit more effusive, however, with praise of his canine sidekick.

"He's got a lot of training, as much training as, or probably more than, many police officers have had over the years," Falasco said. "And he's got the years in here."

More than three to be exact. Ron was hired by the borough in late 1999 and graduated from K-9 School in Mechanicsburg, Pa., in 2000. His primary duties include patrolman protection, tracking, drug detection, building searches and apprehending fleeing criminals. In addition to his on-duty accomplishments, Ron has brought back medals from the K-9 Olympic Games.