Hounding
the beat
Avon and Somerset police force are on the lookout
for a German Shepherd dog to join their four-footed frontline.
Officers from the force’s dog section are looking for
a German Shepherd, aged between 12 and 18 months, which has
a good temperament and is keen to retrieve.
Avon and Somerset have around 45 German Shepherd dogs which
are used for general police duties including crowd control,
tracking and searching.
The dogs have a working life of about seven years after which
they are found new homes, quite often with their police handlers.
After an initial assessment, each potential police dog must
successfully complete a 13-week training course before joining
officers on the beat.
A new training course has just started and there is a place
still available for a trainee dog.
‘Any potential dogs will initially be visited and undergo
a short assessment. If the dog is suitable it will join the
others on the three month canine training course,’ said
PC Lee Webb of the force’s dog section.
Anyone who has a German Shepherd dog which might be suitable
is asked to ring PC Webb or PC Karl Cannon at the dog’s
section on 0117-945 5473.
