Dog Unit a fantastic asset for Cheshire and North Wales

Police dogs servicing Cheshire and North Wales showed off their skills to the new Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire John Dwyer.

The demonstration enabled the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner David McNeilage to see the variety of dogs that are available to help deter crime and find vulnerable people and criminals in the county. Currently, there are 21 dogs who provide support to the front line including general police dogs and those who specialise in finding firearms and drugs.

John Dwyer said: “Police dogs play a valuable role in supporting operational policing and ensuring additional resources are available to front line staff when they’re dealing with criminals.

“It was great to see some of the dogs who provide both proactive and reactive assistance in support of all operational officers and specialist departments. They are a fantastic asset for us to have, and I for one am really happy that they are a resource we can use to help keep residents safe.”

You can see more of the Commissioner’s visit to the kennels by watching this video:

https://youtu.be/QT6Wj7CHjzg

Ensuring dog welfare is one of the responsibilities of the Police and Crime Commissioner who is able to appoint Dog Welfare Volunteers, who can check the conditions the dogs, live, work and train in.

John Dwyer added: “The dog kennels here at Cheshire Constabulary Head Quarters have been specifically designed to ensure the dogs who work with us are comfortable at all times. All the dogs deserve to be looked after and to ensure this happens I have 8 dog welfare visitors who ensure the highest standards are maintained.

“The Police Dog Welfare Scheme aims to maintain standards and ensure that Cheshire Constabulary’s training procedures are ethical, humane, transparent and accountable. Police Dog Welfare Visitors observe, comment and report on the conditions in which the Constabulary’s dogs are housed, trained and transported.”

More information about Police Dog Welfare Visitors can be found here:

Police Dog Welfare Visitor (cheshire-pcc.gov.uk)

Pictured - Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire John Dwyer speaking to Chief Inspector Simon Newell from Cheshire Constabulary.