Gang investigators working in Victorville recently welcomed a new police dog specifically trained to sniff out guns to their team, and she’s already getting results, officials said.
Firearm detection K-9 “Nina,” who now serves with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Victorville City Gang Impact Team alongside handler Deputy Gerardo Palacios, demonstrated her abilities about 8:30 p.m. Friday, July 17, when the team pulled over a Chrysler 300 for a traffic stop in the area of El Evado and Palmdale roads, according to the agency.
“Nina conducted a sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of a firearm,” the sheriff’s department said in a written statement. “Deputies searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded Glock 23 handgun equipped with a large-capacity magazine.”
Investigators soon discovered the suspect, a 21-year-old Adelanto man, was out on bail at the time following a May 21 arrest for alleged possession of “handgun equipped with an illegal conversion device that rendered the firearm fully automatic,” according to the statement. The illegal conversion devices are commonly known as “Glock switches.”
He was arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal carrying of a loaded firearm in public and possession of high-capacity magazines, records show.
Nina is a 5-year-old Dutch shepherd who first joined the sheriff’s department as a patrol K-9 in 2021, agency spokeswoman Jenny Smith said. She was reassigned to VCGIT as a firearm detection dog in in July.
“The successful recovery of this firearm demonstrates the immediate value of VCGIT’s newest specialized resource,” the sheriff’s department stated. “Nina’s alert directly led to the discovery of an illegally possessed loaded firearm, illustrating how firearms detection canines enhance deputy safety, strengthen proactive enforcement efforts, and help remove illegal weapons from the community before they can be used in violent crimes.”
“The Victorville City Gang Impact Team remains committed to proactive policing through intelligence-driven investigations, targeted enforcement, and the use of specialized resources to identify offenders, recover illegal firearms, and reduce violent crime,” the statement said. “VCGIT will continue working to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and visit the City of Victorville.”
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Firearm detection K-9 ‘Nina’ joins gang investigators in Victorville
Reporting by Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brian Day, Victorville Daily Press | USA TODAY Network
