New police dogs trained to detect cash, drugs and firearms
Five new dogs are ready to support frontline policing after successfully completing an intensive eight-week training course and achieving full accreditation.
The newly trained police dogs specialise in the detection of cash, drugs and firearms, strengthening the force’s ability to disrupt organised crime and keep communities safe.
Among them is Police Dog Andy, handled by PC Amy Glew, who has been funded through money recovered under the Misuse of Drugs Act. This funding enables the force to reinvest assets seized from criminal activity directly back into policing, not only helping to target those involved in serious and organised crime, but also supporting numerous local projects that benefit vulnerable people in our communities.
Police dogs like Police Dog Andy huge asset in tracking and tracing cash and drugs, sometimes in the most concealed places.
Dog Unit Inspector Ricki Lippiatt said: “Investing in our dog capability is a vital part of how we tackle criminality and protect our communities. These new dogs significantly enhance our ability to detect illegal substances, cash and weapons, and to disrupt those involved in organised crime.
“Using money which is seized through the Misuse of Drugs Act prevents criminals from benefitting financially from their crimes and allows us to reinvest into our resources to further our response to crime. PD Andy and his friends will now be out with their handlers making a positive impact across our force area and will follow in our other police dogs’ paw prints to be officer’s best friends when tracking and tackling criminality.”
The new police dogs and their handlers are:
- PD Kipper with PC Vicki Redwood
- PD Whizz with PC Hannah Holden
- PD Kat with A/PS Clive Jemison
- PD Andy with PC Amy Glew
- PD Griffin with PC Chris Sellars
The dogs and their handlers have undergone specialist training to develop their detection skills and operational effectiveness, ensuring they are ready to support a wide range of policing activities.