Police officers often have a soft spot for dogs. We’ve seen many stories of on-duty officers finding a dog in need of help, and giving them a forever home.

That was the case for one officer, who happened to find a black German Shepherd on the job, which proved to be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Officer Daniel Caramello, of the Rancho Cordova Police Department in California, responded to a trespassing call from a local business. It was there he first saw Ronin, a black German Shepherd.

According to CBS Sacramento, the officer was told that the dog was believed to belong to another local business — but Caramello later found out that the business “didn’t have anything to do” with the dog.

So, he started searching for the black lab’s real owner, checking with the local SPCA if he had a microchip or an owner looking for him. But it soon became clear that Ronin didn’t have a home at all.

At the same time, Caramello felt a close bond with the stray lab.

“I was kind of astounded that nobody wanted to keep him especially with his temperament and behavior,” Caramello told CBS Sacramento. “Something just hit home with Ronin for me. I just kind of fell in love with him from the beginning.”

So the officer did something extraordinary: he decided to adopt the dog himself! “I was able and fortunate enough to put an application in and be able to adopt Ronin,” Caramello said.

The officer took Ronin home. The dog was reportedly a little scared at first, and Caramello was unsure how he would get along with his 9-year-old daughter who was scared of dogs.

But Officer Caramello said his daughter “immediately grew to love him like the rest of our family did,” and Ronin quickly warmed up to his new home.

“I love coming home and seeing him every day. He greets me at the door” Caramello told CBS Sacramento. “He’s just a great companion.”

Thank you to Officer Caramello for giving Ronin a home! This officer definitely found a great “partner” to be by his side forever.