06-07-2025
Using digital dogs proves a success for Police Scotland
Scotland's crime-busting 'digi dogs' have helped collar scores of criminals after sniffing out more than 500 concealed devices packed with damning material.
Police Scotland's six-strong pack of Digital Evidence Detection Dogs – digi dogs – have been deployed around 200 times, rooting out 512 hidden gadgets containing critical evidence against mobsters, paedophiles and sex traffickers.
Police chiefs warn that criminal gangs constantly exploit the latest technology to defeat the ends of justice, with the four-legged sleuths ensuring there are no safe hiding places for digital gadgetry which they use.
Since joining the fight against crime last May the canine detectives have used their specially honed skills to sniff out cunningly hidden gadgets including disguised USB devices, tracking devices and covert cameras, as well as smartphones, laptops, USB drives and tiny SIM cards.
They proved their worth in September when the online child abuse team targeted an address to execute a National Online Child Abuse Prevention (NOCAP) warrant which had already been subjected to a human search without success.
When the digi dog was put to work it identified an iPhone, Kindle, tablet and significantly a trojan USB stick in the shape of a heart pendent.
Thanks to the dog's very particular set of search skills a male was arrested at the scene.
Canine crime busters have also unearthed items stashed under a freezer, in a locked cash tin, under bed slats and within potential hiding places already searched by officers including in a sofa.
Other successes included locating a phone hidden in a loft, which the suspect had initially denied possessing, and other finds including mobile phones, laptops, USB drives and SIM cards.
The hero hounds have also uncovered a USB device in the Aberdeen area, found to contain child sexual abuse material, an air tag in the Edinburgh area related to a domestic stalking crime and, in Glasgow, a murder victim's phone was found.
The adaptable dogs can work in a range of diverse environments, poking their highly sensitive noses into homes, vehicles and commercial buildings leaving no digital device unturned.
According to Police Scotland, almost all crimes have a digital element leaving behind evidence on gadgets such as smartphones, computers and memory cards used to store or transmit illegal content.
The digital evidence trail can include incriminating emails, chat logs, photos, videos, browsing history and location data.
Despite gadgets getting ever smaller, making them easier to secrete, digi dogs are able to detect odours emitted from all electronic devices, including hard drives and minuscule memory cards.
Police Scotland say that by uncovering hidden devices and facilitating the collection of digital evidence digi dogs contribute to more successful prosecutions and convictions.
They say the canine constables' unique ability to pick up the scent of devices regardless of their disguise has led to the discovery of crucial evidence that might otherwise have gone undetected.
Digi dogs are used during the execution of search warrants and other police operations helping to ensure no digital evidence is overlooked.
Assistant chief constable Andrew Freeburn has hailed the introduction of the dogs, saying: 'Digital devices are becoming smaller in size and those involved in criminal activity are becoming more adept at hiding them.
'Searches by humans can be limited and the dogs will provide an additional capability which makes finding hidden devices easier.'
ACC Freeburn added: 'Police Scotland is committed to keeping everyone safe and this addition to our search capabilities ensures there is no hiding place for criminals even in the digital world.'
Digi dogs are teamed with specialist handlers and are deployed all over Scotland.
Digi dog at work
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