New police dog helping crack down on drug crimes

NEWTON, Ill. (AP) - A new member of the police force is making his presence felt in the southeastern Illinois community of Newton.

The Effingham Daily News reports (https://bit.ly/1tfnbUj ) Dano, a German shepherd from Slovakia, is working with Cpl. Doug Bierman to help fight drug crimes.

Bierman came up with the idea to get a police dog in 2012, as a way to fight a growing methamphetamine problem.

It took one year and raising more than $20,000 in donations, plus several weeks of training, to make his idea a reality.

Dano has helped in several arrests. He also used his training to track a suspect who fled.

Bierman says Dano helps deter crime. He says: “Just the fact that it’s here, and people know it’s here is one of the big things.