THUNDER BAY — By early next year, the Thunder Bay Police Service expects to have a dog in service with the ability to detect the presence of electronic storage devices as small as a microSD card.
So-called cyber dogs are trained to search for the chemicals used in cell phones, memory storage units and other devices, significantly enhancing the ability of police to find hidden data in internet exploitation and child pornography investigations.
Small storage devices are easily hidden by predators, and can be difficult to locate during the execution of search warrants.
An American charity, Operation Underground Railroad, will provide Thunder Bay police with a trained Labrador retriever, the required equipment, and training for the handler at no cost, while police will be responsible for food, checkups with a vet, and annual trips for training re-certification in Indianapolis.
Operation Underground Railroad is a non-profit organization that supports law enforcement around the world in efforts to combat online child exploitation and human trafficking.
Thunder Bay Police Service Chief Insp. Jeremy Pearson told the Thunder Bay Police Services Board at its meeting Monday that Thunder Bay will be only the third police organization in Canada to join the program.
He credited the diligence and creativity of its cyber crime unit for its ability to participate, and said Thunder Bay is fortunate to be part of a program that has already demonstrated its value in the Greater Toronto Area.
"Peel Regional Police, which has recently adopted the use of this dog, has noted that in 60 per cent of their search warrants conducted, the dog found storage devices that officers missed in the course of the physical search," Pearson said.
Cyber dogs receive no training in protection or apprehension, so they can also be used to provide emotional support to victims and to officers engaging in the challenging work of investigating child porn offences.
Det. Andrew Ullock of Peel Regional Police has stated that their dog, a female yellow Labrador retriever, quickly altered the day-to-day workings of the internet child exploitation unit.
"She lightens the mood in a way only a dog can," he said, adding that "in the field she is already transforming how we conduct searches for evidence, and she is making us much more efficient at what we do."
After hearing Pearson's presentation, police board member Kasey Etreni commented that she thinks "this will be an asset to the police service in our community."
Thunder Bay police expects to have a confirmed spot in the training program by March 2024 at the latest.
Estimated operating costs, including travel to Indiana for training, are a modest $3,800 a year.
