Pit Bull Conquers Stereotype And Joins Police Force (VIDEO)

Meet Kiah - the two-and-a-half year old pit bull who joined the Poughkeepsie Police Department as a crime-fighting, drug-sniffing police dog.

Advocates say it counters the stereotypical image of the dog as a dangerous breed beloved by criminals.

From AP:

The new rookie at one New York police department weighs 60 pounds, has a big, lolling tongue, a soft caramel coat and a chance to fight stereotypes in addition to crime.

When she graduates Friday from K9 training school, Kiah will be one of just a few pit bulls to serve as a police dog. It's a job usually given to breeds that don't come with the pit bull's reputation — deserved or not — as a savage animal fit only for the company of criminals.

"The breed isn't important," said Brad Croft, who trains dogs for law enforcement and the military and found Kiah in a Texas animal shelter after her previous owner was arrested for animal cruelty. "It's what's inside of the dog that's important."