There are currently 16 handlers who handle a variety of dogs including German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Malinois, Labrador, Spaniel and Border Collie.
The German Shepherds are trained to track from scenes of crimes, to search premises and open countryside for persons who are either missing from home or in pursuit of criminals. They are also trained to search for lost or stolen property; attack persons armed with weapons, and bite and detain people.
Just as important is the training for when not to bite people. The training they receive enables them to carry out any of the above in many different scenarios and locations and still remain under the control of their handler.
Drugs dogs also search for firearms, currency i.e. sterling and euros and will indicate people in possession of drugs. The drugs detection dogs are trained to search for and indicate a variety of different drugs and as expected the explosives detection dogs are trained to do the same on a variety of different explosives.
Most German Shepherds are mature enough for intensive training at about 12 months of age and are placed on a 12 week initial course with a handler before they are allowed out on operational duty.
The dogs are inspected regularly by veterinary surgeons to ensure they maintain good health and fitness. Handlers and dogs work an 12 hour day, one hour for kennel duty and grooming, and the other for operational police work whether that work involves the dog or not.
Care is exercised in maintaining the right standard of dogs for police work and they tend to have a working life of seven to eight years.
