Springerdor Merlin is the latest trainee fine-tuning his sensors in the fight against crime in Norfolk and Suffolk.
One-year-old springer spaniel and labrador cross Merlin has been in the Norfolk and Suffolk Police puppy programme for nearly four months, studying to be a drugs, weapons and cash detection dog.
He came from a family in Essex and will be going to dog handler PC Dani Holford in early May to start his six-week licensing course.
PC James Wells is the puppy programme manager as well as being an officer and is responsible for the development of the dogs from eight weeks old until they make the grade for the course.
He said: "Merlin is absolutely obsessed with toys so much so that when I went to collect him I was talking to the owner when I noticed Merlin was just staring at my pocket... it turned out I had a tennis ball in there and he would not divert his gaze until I gave him the ball.
"Ultimately this level of focus and indication is what we look for in trained dogs, so to have this before we even start ensures the best possible start to his training.
"He is a gentle and sensitive dog that loves snuggling up with his foster family and his favourite toys."
READ MORE: Meet police dog pup Gus who is training to hunt criminals
The programme was introduced four years ago to develop puppies or donated and rescued dogs into licensed police dogs.
PC Wells is currently looking for young German shepherd dogs, spaniels or labradors with a confident manner and very high ball drive.
The puppies are fostered for a year, mostly by police officers, but also by members of the public, before they start working and move to kennels.
Not all the puppies will be cut out for the force and those are rehomed in domestic settings.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here