Dogs Section
Dog handler PC Dave Cole and Chad
The dog section is based at Force Headquarters, Enderby but provides support to the whole Force area.
The section is made up of dog handlers, trainers and kennel assistants. They work shifts, ensuring that 24-hour cover is provided across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Dog handlers are operational police officers and as such they carry out intelligence led high profile patrols in order to deter and catch criminals and to reassure the public. The dog handlers are a Force resource and can be tasked to a specific area or police operation where their specialist knowledge can be of assistance.
The work of the section falls into two categories - General Purpose (GP) deployment and specialist work.
The majority of the Force?s General Purpose police dogs are German Shepherds, however the section also has three Belgian Malinoirs and is training its first Rotweiller.
As their name suggests, General Purpose police dogs can be used for a wide variety of roles. This includes searching for missing people, searching for evidence and crowd control at events such as football matches. They can also track-down criminals by following the scent they have left when fleeing a crime scene. The handlers are also called upon to contain dangerous dogs.
The Force also has a number of specialist dogs who have been trained to search for illegal drugs and weapons. There is also a passive drugs dog which indicates to its handler people who may be in possession of illegal drugs.
Two of the dogs are explosives trained and the majority of their work is pre-planned. They provide a vital role at events such as Royal and VIP visits.
The length of initial training the dogs undergo can vary depending upon the role they are being trained for. However all new dogs undergo intensive training and must pass a test to be licensed before becoming operational. The dogs receive regular training and along with their handlers must be re-licensed annually.