Tweed, the springer spaniel has the distinction of being the UK's first digital asset detection dog.
Martin King of the Devon and Cornwall Police Dog Section tells the origin story of this vitally important search discipline in the UK.
Known as electronic storage detection, digital asset detection and various other names, Tweed's skillset is firmly established as a key discipline for evidentiary purposes within the police.
Back in 2015, a trainer in his force read an article about such detection work going on in Connecticut, U.S.A. The trainer, Graham Atwood, visited and brought back the knowhow to train the UK's first two dogs.
Tweed won Service Dog of the Year 2025 and was shortlisted for Crufts Hero Dog of the Year 2026.
Many thanks to Martin King for talking to us - it's a delight to have a little piece of working dog history on the show.
Kate Fairweather interviewed Martin at Crufts 2026.
Connected episodes:
- The UK's National Police Dog Trials 2025 P.D. Viper the firearms support dog P.D. Chase and the career arc of a general purpose police dog P.D. Meika, who searches for London criminals' cash, drugs and firearms P.D. Ted, the explosives detection dog with the West Midlands Police P.D. Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary
- Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police
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