Man's Best Friend--Fidocam to Combat Crime

I've often thought that if I were sent to Iraq to serve in a combat zone, I'd just as soon have my pit bull, Pup, as a partner as to have a human backing me up. Dogs aren't called man's best friend for no reason, right?

The dog in the picture illustrates the job assigned to Sammy and Zara, German Shepherds in the service of the Northumbria Police in Britain. Cops in Britain are unarmed, even four-legged ones. However, the tool strapped to the dog's head is a camera and transmitter. This dog's "mission impossible"? Enter a building and scope out the situation, sending pictures back to the police.

Police Chief Jim Soutar reports the following qualifications are sought in these canine recruits:

We're looking for dogs with above average drive who can operate under stressful conditions.

Two-legged cops probably need the same qualifications.

No mention is made in the linked article about the cost of hiring these canine crimefighters. One can only surmise that dog biscuits are cheaper than human wages and that the dogs don't demand two weeks of paid vacation every year.

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