NYPD using high tech K9 units

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The newest weapons in the NYPD's crime fighting arsenal are high tech canines tracking bad guys.

It is new technology that allows a police officer to see what his K9 partner sees all through a wireless infrared camera harnessed to the dog.

In a training session, the dog tracks an armed gunman hidden in the bowels of the subway system, while police, positioned a safe distance away, monitor a live video feed of the pursuit.

"You can see that the bad guy is holding a gun and the dog is alerting. So we're going to bring this dog back now," the officer said.

Armed with the visual information provided by the dog, police can now formulate a plan to apprehend the suspect.

"This camera is shock-proof. It's dust-proof. And because of the dog's agility he can get into places and crevices that we can't get into," said Lt. John Pappas, NYPD Transit Bureau K9 Unit.

Another new crime-fighting and counter-terrorism tool recently acquired with federal grant funds is this canine GPS tracking collar.

It's time-saving technology in a dog's search for a missing person, human remains, or evidence scattered across a wide area.

"We're able to track the dog and to eliminate all the areas that he's searched to make it easier in the long run," said Police Officer Wayne Rothschild, NYPD Transit Bureau K9 Unit.

The usefulness of all this new equipment is not designed to place a dog's life in jeopardy.

Each situation is carefully assessed to maximize and maintain the safety of the officer and his K9 partner.

It's a combination of policing and technology that's beneficial to everyone.

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