NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — For a long time, Novi Police Officer Stacey Simon has wanted to be a part of the K9 unit. And soon, she and her new partner, a 15-month-old German Shepherd, will hit the streets running.
But her new partner needed a name. So, the City of Novi asked people on social media for help in naming the four-legged crime fighter.
At first, they selected the name "Major" which was submitted by the father of United States Air Force Major Andrew Becker who was killed in training in 2017.
The only issue was that was the same name of Officer Simon's childhood dog.
So, Simon and her sergeant discussed how they could honor Major Becker, a native of Novi, and they decided the new K9 should be named "Becker."
And the family of the fallen hero agreed it was perfect.
"It's truly an honor," said Ofc. Simon. "It means a lot to me to be able to pay that tribute to him, to be able to support him the way he supported his country."
In mid-May, Simon and Becker will begin a six-week intensive training in drug detection and tracking.
