FEATURED STORY

5/5/08 by Benjamin Sobieck Staff writer

“Find the dope, Raven.” As soon as North Branch Police Officer Ron Rollins said those four words, it was as if a switch had been flipped in...

Photo by Benjamin Sobieck 

This might look like a light-hearted game of tug-of-war, but it is actually a crucial part of how police use dogs to detect narcotics. Each time Raven successfully sniffs out a stash of drugs, Officer Ron Rollins offers the reward of playing with the dog's favorite toy. Rollins said the dog has been conditioned to associate finding drugs with playing games.