Flanked by per parents, her boss, the police commissioner and the mayor, Baltimore Police Officer Syreeta Teel was honored this afternoon for her work in saving a pit bull that had been doused with gasoline and set on fire last month on the city's Westside.

Mayor Sheila Dixon talked about the "overwhelming response" to the fate of the dog, nicknamed Phoeinix, who had to be put down despite Teel's quick work to put out the fire and get the dog to help. An award, through private donations, has reached $23,500. "We are very committed to finding this individual," Dixon said, though police wouldn't comment on leads.

It was nice to see a city cop honored and Teel stood at attention in her dress blues as Dixon stood by her side and read a certificate thanking her for her work. Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld pointed to the officer's parents, Thurman and Deborah Evon Teel, and said it was they, not the department, who best trained the officer.

"Officer Teel didn't need us to teach her to be a good person," the commissioner said. "Officer Teel didn't need the city of Baltimore to teach her to be a humane person."