A sniffer dog has been out for the first time to search people for drugs as part of a crackdown on late-night violence in Nottingham.

Fred the black Labrador is specially trained to detect drugs such as heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis.

The police are using him to check queues at tram stops and outside the city’s bars and clubs.

Last November officers found signs of cocaine use in the toilets of more than 20 city centre bars.

Insp Paul Winter said: “It is a significant problem in the city centre, when people take cocaine and alcohol together, in some people that has a tendency to make them more aggressive and more violent.

“If we can stop people taking cocaine and make them behave in a better way, it’s going to make the city centre safer, less people are going to get harmed and more people are going to want to come out in town.”

Fred, who is a year old, underwent six weeks of training.

When he does find evidence of drugs he sits down next to the suspect whom the police then check to see if they are carrying drugs.

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