Dutch Police Recruit Rat Detectives To Sniff Out Crime

Derrick, Thomson and Thompson, Magnum, and Poirot are the newest recruits at a Dutch police department. These Rotterdam rats have been trained to keep the streets clean and are expected to save the police both time and money.

Detective Derrick and his rat partners are capable of being trained to identify an impressive range of odors - including drugs and explosives. The rats are kept in a cage with four metal tea strainers attached inside, one of which contains gunpowder. When the rat recognizes the smell, it is rewarded with a small treat. Eventually the rat will learn to move towards the smell instantly.