She's a little smelly and definitely likes to slobber, but the state police say the new addition to their team is going to be a tremendous asset.

State police have just purchased their first blood hound for this area and her name is Gracie. She's an expert at tracking humans and will hopefully be able to help solve some crimes.

Although she's only a year old, she's already helped to solve one case.

VSP Sgt. Michael Rossetti says, "There was an elderly woman that was missing in the Richmond area, so obviously locating individuals is an asset here."

Trooper Joe O'Gorek, Gracie's handler, says she can track a scent up to five miles away and has even followed a track that was five days old.

O'Gorek comments, "She can do lineups using a scent article. We'll have several people line in front of you to tell which person belongs to that scent."

He says Gracie is so critical to the state police because she can aid in a missing persons investigation as well as track someone that may be running from the police.

Rossetti says, "The bloodhound can be accessible anywhere in the Commonwealth, whether it’s Wytheville, Fairfax to Richmond, Virginia Beach, it's obviously here to be used all throughout the Commonwealth."

The troopers are also quick to point out this canine is a certified state trooper.

"She's treated just like another trooper is treated. If something happens to her, whether if someone does something to do, it's the same consequences as doing something to a trooper", adds O'Gorek.

K-9s are often very expensive and bred in other countries, but Gracie is a native of Virginia and the troopers say she was a lot cheaper than most dogs, which played a big part in bringing her here to Staunton.