Coppers' canine companions graduate from police dog school

THIS adorable paw-some foursome are all set to sniff out leads after becoming the latest graduating recruits from the South Yorkshire Police dog school.
 

Showing anything is paws-ible when you put your nose to it, these pretty pooches completed a six-week course that put each dog and their handler through their paces. 

During their training, PDs Spud, Ruby, Willow and Buddy learned how to sniff out cash, drugs, firearms and ammunition, while their handlers, PCs Matt Aris, Dan Lumley, Darren Wassell and Faye North-Gill learned how to search areas, direct their dogs and work together as a team.

Dog training manager Sgt Jon Hardwick explained that dogs stepped up from hunting their favourite things to sniffing out cash, drugs and weapons.

He said: “We start training the dogs to find things by hiding their favourite toy \_ a ball.

“Once they learn to sniff out their toys, we place drugs, cash or firearms with the toy. 

“They then learn to associate the smell with the act of ‘finding’, and get their reward, their toy.”

Last Thursday, the handlers and their canine companions received their official certificates of their licensing and course completion. 

The duos will now return to their teams and put their new skills to the test across South Yorkshire.

Sgt Hardwick said: “All of the handlers and their dogs have excelled themselves during this course.

“It hasn’t been easy, but they’ve showed that the bond and relationship they all have keeps them going.”

You can follow their progress as they take to the streets by following the SYP operational support unit on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.