Four new paws hit the streets of South Yorkshire

The duo will now be pounding the streets of South Yorkshire, searching for drugs and weapons.

PC Brackpool is an experienced officer with over 22 years of policing, recently retiring from duties in March 2019.

Having long had a passion for animals and not quite ready to hang his handcuffs up just yet, he has returned to the force and teamed up with PD Milo.

Milo, brother to qualified drug, cash and weapons dog PD Buddy, has always shown great potential, said the officer, who took Milo home in early December so they could get to know each other before starting their course in January.

PD Milo is a two-year-old Fox Red Labrador whose most favourite thing in the world is to chase a ball - a great foundation for training a police dog.

PC Brackpool said: “Me and Milo have been together for nearly two months and have started to form a great relationship.

“He’s settled in well to home life, and loves spending time with our horses, other dogs and cats.

“During our course, he has excelled at every task and challenge set. I am looking forward to what our first couple of shifts will bring.”

Dog training manager, Jon Hardwick added: “Dogs usually come to us as puppies or before their second birthday - this gives us a head start to begin basic training.

“We start training the dogs to find things by hiding their favourite toy - a ball - and slowly start to replace the toy with drugs, cash, firearms or blood, depending on what the dog will qualify in.

“The dog then learns to associate the smell with the act of ‘finding’, and get their reward, their toy or a treat.

“These steps build the foundations and once the dogs are sniffing items out, we include more and more. The handlers are then taught how to conduct thorough searches, understand their dogs and work together.”