Loyalty, devotion, energy and an excellent sense of smell – no, these are not the words spoken at the retirement of a long-serving colleague, rather an accurate description of the dogs that serve in our police forces. This year, the Essex Police Dog Unit celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Dogs trained to protect property, people or to detect illegal substances certainly add a valuable asset to any police force. Certainly, 70 years ago, the value of adding two raw recruits to the local police force was realised, starting a precedent that encourages the use of canines to catch criminals to this today.
Using dogs to sniff out or deter criminals is not new. Even Sherlock Holmes could not resist utilising a dog’s heightened sense of smell! In fact, the first police dogs were used in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture Jack the Ripper.
The Essex Dog Unit welcomed its first two dogs in 1953, a handsome Doberman by the name of Remoh and a German Shepherd named Senta, along with their two handlers, PC Pete Cousins and Dan Hare. It was quickly understood that proper training was required, so the two dogs and their handlers were sent to Surrey to learn correct procedures at a specialised police training programme.
Just a short time later, this training proved to be valuable when man and dog made their first arrest following a burglary at a local inn, which led to a hot pursuit of the criminal in question across muddy fields. The dogs were used to track the thief who turned out to be a serving soldier at the nearby army camp.
Within a few years, the skills the dogs brought to the Essex Police Force had been proven enough times to justify an expansion of the ranks. By 1956, there were ten serving dogs and their handlers. The dogs were often entered into competitive displays of their prowess hosted by the Police and Army Dog Society; the Essex canines more than showcased their training, they virtually stole the show! At one event, Remoh and Senta were placed second and seventh respectively and received top marks for their recall.
The use of dogs in the police force expanded throughout the county, and many local stations were diversified to include dogs and handlers. According to Godfrey Kent, writing in the Essex Police Magazine in 1954: ‘Because of his peculiar sense of loyalty and acute sense of smell, the dog has for many centuries been used by man to guard his home and property. ln war and peace his use has been amply justified. Many continental countries have a large and extensive use for police dogs and very advanced training establishments.’
The bond between dog and handler had to be a special one, and as a result, the dogs were housed with their handlers at their homes, ensuring that the canine was not only man’s best friend but also most-trusted work colleague.
Alongside catching criminals or sniffing out clues, the dogs also continued to be star attractions at major events and the Essex Police Force often presented their dogs at the Colchester Tattoo, which was a highly respected parade and arena show highlighting the locally based military defence units.
Although German Shepherds are the most common breed used in the force, other dogs are taken on for training, including Rottweilers, Riesenschnauzer, Bouviers and even, in the past, bloodhounds. Often the dogs are given as gifts by members of the public and are trained if their temperament is calm yet not too timid, confident and yet not aggressive.
In the 70 years since its inception, the dog unit of the Essex Police has more than proven its worth, and each year thousands of criminals are caught, items confiscated and missing persons or artefacts located. Clearly these special canines make law-breakers paws for thought!
