A Police Service of Northern Ireland detection dog named Jess retired at the end of January 2026 after an eight-year career. The nine-year-old Labrador joined the PSNI in 2018 and worked with handler Sarah. Jess located over £1 million worth of drugs, cash and firearms during her service.

Jess made two major finds exceeding £1 million in drugs. One discovery involved £500,000 worth of drugs and firearms in a secure area. Officers obtained a warrant after Jess indicated the spot and attempted to chew the lock. Another find was drugs inside a Tesco bag buried in a hedge.

The dog also detected items outside her training, including a mobile phone buried in a bag of coal. Sarah noted Jess excelled at finding cash, drugs and firearms.

Hydrotherapy treats stiffness in Jess's shoulder from years of work.

Jess now lives in County Antrim with Sarah and another retired police dog named Ziva. Sarah registered Jess with the Thin Blue Paw Foundation for veterinary, medication and rehabilitation support. The charity has aided over 170 retired police dogs across the UK since 2020 with more than £400,000 in payments.

Kieran Stanbridge, founder of the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, stated police dogs receive no pension from police or government after service. The physical demands often lead to health issues in retirement.