The question “who is a good boy” across the Riverina Police District was answered this week, with the arrival of Buster.
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The purpose-trained German shepherd joined Wagga’s dog unit this week, adding more bite to the crime-stopping team.
But there was no time for pats and pampering, with the local paw-patrol member put to work on Tuesday, the day after his arrival.
Buster was involved in a police pursuit after 1pm, when an unknown assailant allegedly bolted from his vehicle on Warrawong Street to avoid police in Kooringal.
With the new canine officer on his tail, the man did not get far.
Details to come.
Senior Constable Karl Harris – the district’s canine handler – said Buster joined the Riverina-team and would work alongside detection dog Ace, who was trained to sniff out narcotics.
As a state resource Constable Harris said the trio travelled across outside of the district when needed.
“This is the second set of dogs we’ve had in Wagga,” Constable Harris said.
“(Buster) is trained in tracking, searching, land-work and agility.”
He said Ace was predominantly used in car searches, at festivals, in pubs and clubs and during the execution of search warrants.
Buster, on the other paw, will be involved in break and enters, tracking people from break and enters, robberies and the high end of crime.
“We’re always out here patrolling in Wagga,” he said. “We get deployed all over the southern region.”
Acquired from South Australia, Detective Inspector Darren Cloake said the addition was a comfort to general-duties officers.
He said police always felt a little more secure when there was a dog on the team.