The Wilmette Police Department now has a dog that can sniff out a hidden USB drive faster than a team of officers can search a house. His name is Gizmo, and the U.S. Secret Service paid for him.

The two-year-old Golden Retriever-Labrador mix is one of only four K-9s in Illinois, and roughly 100 in the nation, trained to detect digital devices in criminal investigations, the Chicago Tribune reported. Gizmo arrived at the department in June and was officially sworn in at the June 9 Village Board meeting.

The Secret Service covered all costs for the dog's acquisition, training and travel. Wilmette taxpayers are on the hook for about $2,400 a year in food and veterinary care.

Handler Sam Walker, a digital forensic analyst for the department, told the Tribune on Aug. 4 that Gizmo can locate electronics through scent "in a fraction of the time it would take police officers to search for electronics in every corner of a home." That means hidden USB drives, laptops and Micro SD cards in child exploitation, terrorism or white-collar crime cases.

Gizmo was originally bred as a service dog but washed out of that program because he pulled too hard on the leash, Walker said. He then entered the Jordan Detection K-9 Electronic Storage Detection program in Indianapolis, which trains dogs to detect chemical compounds in electronic adhesives. Walker completed a two-week handler certification course with Gizmo at the National Computer Forensic Institute in Alabama.

Then Gizmo found his calling.

Chief of Police Michael Robinson told the Tribune on Aug. 4 that Gizmo has already assisted neighboring police agencies and successfully located evidence for them.

Gizmo's second role is comfort dog. Walker's office sits next to the department's social work office, and he brings Gizmo in when someone is nervous or in distress.

"If they have someone who's coming in and they like dogs or are a little bit nervous about talking, I can bring Gizmo in and they will pet him, which relaxes them and lets them talk through whatever they're dealing with," Walker told the Tribune.

At the June 9 swearing-in, Robinson called Gizmo "an ambassador of good will for the police department and the village," The Record North Shore reported. Robinson told the Tribune that staff and community members have already started asking "Where's Gizmo?" around the station.

Gizmo is expected to appear at community events throughout the year. The 5th Annual Wilmette Block Party runs noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29, at Central and Wilmette avenues.