Winkler police service dog, Juno, has added narcotics detection to her list of certifications.

Juno, and her handler, Constable Sean O'Brien, recently completed eight weeks of training with the Winnipeg Police Service K-9 Unit where the pair was put through their paces in a number of scenarios using a variety of narcotics and environmental factors.

"We throw at them every kind of scenario that we can," said Cst. O'Brien. This includes indoor searches in warehouses, cars, semi-trucks, office buildings and lockers as well as the outdoors under a number of different weather conditions. "All of the potential scenarios that we'll see on the street."

Supplied photo.Those new skills were quickly put to the test in April when Juno and Cst. O'Brien were called upon after officers arrested two men on suspicion of drug trafficking following a traffic stop. Once Juno got to work, O'Brien says it didn't take long to find a quantity of meth inside the vehicle.

"Although we're a team, it's heavily reliant on the dog," explained O'Brien. "Juno uses her nose to locate the drugs, and her indication was very solid and easy to read, and that is the result of the excellent training that we received."

"All of our team's success, we celebrate each one of them," added O'Brien, noting that while the Winkler K-9 Unit may not get the level of calls that a larger unit might, he says it does yield results.

As for whether Juno will add to her list of certifications, Cst. O'Brien says her current credentials fill her commitment as a general-purpose dog and a narcotics detection dog, however, Juno is involved in the Regional Support Tactical Team.

"That's not necessarily a certificate profile, more of that we work within the unit as a tool when they need her. She has a certain set of skills that if there's a job they're required to do that she can assist with, she will," explained Cst. O'Brien.