Thames Valley Police dogs give training demonstrations near Reading

Around 40 dogs are part of the police force patrolling Bucks, Berkshire and Oxford, working at sporting events, in public areas across the community, and tracking down missing people.

Two of the top dogs – six-year-old German Shepherd Hooch and two-year-old Belgian Shepherd Viper – were at a media day hosted at the Thames Valley Police training campus in Sulhampstead on Friday to show off to members of the press what they can do to protect the public and stop criminals.

READ MORE: Burglar caught stealing from village doctor’s surgery

During the demonstrations, younger dog Viper gave chase to a mocked-up villain – a dog handler wearing a padded suit of armour – latching onto his arm and refusing to let go until ordered to by his handler.

Pyrotechnics were also thrown nearby, creating loud bangs to simulate gunshots, ensuring the dogs will be fully prepared and focused when they are deployed in live crime scenarios.

Senior dog Hooch also got a chance to show what he could do, latching onto the handler’s padded arm and refusing to let go. The dogs are trained to release their grip the second their handler commands them to, and the “villain” getting mauled was encouraging Hooch at the same time to reinforce his behaviour.

As well as displaying their brute force, the dogs also demonstrated their intelligence. When Viper was tasked with finding items that a criminal might have hidden, like a mobile phone or wallet, he easily sniffed out the human scent and tracked the items in seconds.

Later, the animals displayed the power of their noses when tracking down a “missing” dog handler who was hiding in some bushes.

These dogs are not dedicated sniffer dogs that you might find at an airport or train station, but their speed and power mean they are perfectly suited for hunting down a criminal in hiding or searching for a vulnerable person who could be a risk to themselves and others.

Police dogs and their handlers are practically inseparable. They live together and work together for the whole of the dog’s career and develop a strong bond.

The animals will start very basic training from as young as eight weeks old, gradually working up until they are around 12 to 18 months old. At this point they will undertake a 12-week police dog training course, and if they pass, they will become part of the force.

The career of a police dog typically lasts for around six years, with most dogs retiring around the age of seven or eight.

And just like their human handlers, and all other police officers, police dogs are also at risk of harm when out on duty.

Both Hooch and Viper have been injured while on the job. The young dog Viper was punched repeatedly by a suspect which he was grappling with, despite his handler repeatedly shouting at them to stop.

READ MORE: Police investigate theft as suitcases, passports, and laptops among items stolen from car

Fortunately, Viper was not seriously harmed, but handlers are desperate to keep their animals safe the same way they want to keep their human colleagues out of harm’s way.

The good news is that a couple of years ago the Animal Welfare Bill, also known as Finn’s Law, was introduced, preventing those who attack or injure service animals from claiming self-defence.

Named after police dog Finn, who was stabbed while on duty, the new law means those who attack animals like Viper and Hooch can face up to five years in prison.