A Shenandoah Police officer and his canine partner won two awards earlier this month in Des Moines. Shenandoah Police Chief Kris Grebert says Officer Nephi Jones and his K-9 Eron picked up the awards during the National Police Canine Association Regional Trials.

The pair finished 5^th overall in vehicle searches and were named Top Rookie for Region 21, which includes Iowa, parts of Minnesota and Missouri. Sixty-three teams competed during the event. Fifteen were rookies.

Jones said he and Eron participated in the trials so the pair could become certified. He was appointed as K-9 handler at the end of January and completed training at the end of February. Jones has been a member of the Shenandoah Police force since March, 2008.

His partner Eron has already assisted in the detection of narcotics which resulted in arrests.