New Imperial officer brings K9 partner

Officer Chris Bustillos reported for his first day of duty with the Imperial Police Department Tuesday.
His K9 partner, Jago, will have to wait a little while longer before he hits the streets.
Bustillos said Jago got excited Tuesday when Bustillos put on his vest to go to work.
Until a new vehicle is prepared for him and training completed, however, Jago will have to wait his turn.
When Bustillos was hired, the City of Imperial negotiated with the City of Colby, Kansas, where Bustillos had been working, to purchase Jago, his equipment and Bustillos’ patrol car with its back seat kennel for $5,000.
Bustillos and Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski both agreed it’s a great deal.
The City of Imperial has a new car ordered for Bustillos and is hopeful Jago’s equipment can be moved into the new vehicle. A new back seat kennel would cost $3,000, Bustillos said.
Bustillos was born in Goodland, Kansas, and grew up in Colby. After studying criminal justice at Fort Hays State, Bustillos returned to Colby and worked several jobs before working in the detention department of the Thomas County Jail.
After seven or eight months, Bustillos started working for the Colby Police Department and spent over six years there.
When Bustillos’ wife, Ashleigh, received a job offer to work in Imperial for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the couple already had some idea about the community.
Bustillos’ best friend and best man, Kelly Pearson, had worked for the Imperial Police Department in the past and encouraged Bustillos to look into the job opening.
The couple toured the town and liked what they saw.
Ashleigh is training until Aug. 30 for her job.
Bustillos will begin his four weeks of training in early September at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. Since he’s been a certified officer, that is much shorter than the 16-week program new recruits have to complete for certification.
Their sons, ages 7 and 3, have grown up with Jago, who turned 6 in May.
“The kids love him,” Bustillos said.
The Belgian Malinois was with a different handler in Colby for two years, then was decommissioned for 4-6 months because of heartworms.
Bustillos and Jago took a five-week class in narcotics detection together in March 2018. They get recertified each fall.
“He’s ready to get back to work. It’s what he’s bred and trained for,” Bustillos said.