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Wiltshire Police 'Digi-dogs' trained to sniff out technology

BBC Dora the Digi-dogBBC
Three-year-old Springer Spaniel "Digi-dog" Dora is assisting officers in sniffing out specific items

A police force has two new recruits to help investigate cyber-related crime.

The two springer spaniels have been specially trained to assist Wiltshire Police officers at crime scenes and in cases such as drug investigations.

The so-called 'Digi-dogs' are able to sniff out USB sticks, hard drives, and even mobile phone SIM cards.

Dora and Bonny are part of the force's Digital Investigations and Intelligence Unit. (DIIU).

Sam Dutton, dog handler at Wiltshire Police, and three-year old Springer Spaniel “Digi-dog” Dora
Dora the "Digi-dog" is specially trained to find hard-drives, USB sticks and SIM cards

Dog handler Sam Dutton said digital evidence can be vital in investigations because it is important to find people's contacts and mobile phones.

She said: "If people are concerned in the supply of drugs, we want to find the drugs, but we need to be able to prove who these people have been in contact with and what they've been in contact with them about.

"So those SIM cards, those phones, and these kind of investigations are very, very important", she added.

Sam Dutton, dog handler at Wiltshire Police, and 3-year old Springer Spaniel “Digi Dog” Dora
Sam Dutton, the dog handler, says this work is "very, very important"

The DIIU was set up in 2018 dedicated to supporting frontline staff and officers across the Wiltshire Police force with any investigations that have a digital or technological element to them.

The team was involved in assisting the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) with the murder of Ellie Gould, where they looked into phone usage as part of the case.

Three-year old Springer Spaniel “Digi-dog” Dora
Dora is already proving invaluable for Wiltshire Police
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