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First Mass. State Police electronics-sniffing dog starts work – Metro US

First Mass. State Police electronics-sniffing dog starts work

First Mass. State Police electronics-sniffing dog starts work
Massachusetts State Police

The first Massachusetts State Police dog trained to detect electronic storage devices showed her skills on Thursday at State Police headquarters.

Winnie, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador, can detect electronics such as USB drives, hard drives, SD cards and DVDs, State Police said to the Boston Globe.

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Electronic storage detection dogs, or “computer dogs,” can locate computer-related items and cell phones by sniffing out two different chemical compounds often found in such devices, the Framingham Source reported.

“We are very proud to welcome Winnie to our ranks,” State Police spokesman David Procopio was quoted by the Boston Globe.

Trooper Christopher MacDonald took a five-week training course with Winnie operated by the Connecticut State Police, and the duo graduated in March,WCVBreported. MacDonald will be Winnie’s handler.

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Winnie’s unique skills could be used to investigate computer equipment related to suspected child pornographers or in cases where individuals have made Internet threats, according to the Boston Globe.

The State Police announced on Twitter that Winnie is one of only seven dogs in the country certified to sniff out the chemical compounds in electronics.