WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — An explosives-sniffing pup just joined the Winston-Salem police force.
The police department introduced K9 Luigi during a Wednesday public safety press briefing. Luigi is an explosives detection dog. He was donated to the police department through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help keep the community safe.
His human, officer J.C. Temas, said Luigi's nose can sniff out 19,000 different explosive odors and components.
"I believe Luigi will be an asset to the Winston-Salem Police Department and will be able to enhance safety of our residents and visitors through his ability to detect explosives that could cause serious injury or potentially loss of life that may otherwise go undetected," Temas said.
His handler said Luigi indicates the presence of an odor through a passive response.
Temas and Luigi were specifically selected for the training program, where Luigi learned how to sniff out all those odors. The pair will be required to recertify their training every year.