The Commissioner joined officers and their dogs at the Dog Unit base in Hutton where they were being put through their paces as part of the regular license refresher course that handlers must complete.
Dogs are trained in a number of roles and disciplines, including general purpose and search and learning to sniff out explosives, drugs, money, blood, and bodies.
There is a mixture of Belgian and German Shepherds, Malinois and Dutch Herders as General Purpose Dogs, with breeds such as Labradors and Springer Spaniels being used for specialist searching.
Andrew volunteered to act as the offender for three police dogs to focus their attentions as they practised bite work and response to commands.
He also talked with members of the dog unit team about his Police and Crime Plan, the importance of the work they do and how he can support them through his Office. He was shown the ongoing investment into the site that is currently taking place and the training of new canine recruits.
Speaking afterwards, Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden said:
“It was brilliant to see some of our highly trained police dogs and their dedicated handlers put through their paces as part of the regular, ongoing work to meet the stringent national requirements to be out on the streets.
“Taking part in the training, it is a really daunting experience to see a police dog bounding towards you, at speed, and is why they are trained to be pulled back at even the last second, with criminals not wanting to experience what I did – being restrained through highly skilled bite and hold work.
“Combined with drugs dogs and other crafty canines who help officers search for explosives and cash, it is clear to see why they, and the officers that work with them, are so important to leading the fight against crime here in Lancashire.”
