Police dogs work to support police officers in their general duties, from tracking offenders leaving a crime scene to executing a drug search in an industrial site. Every working day is different for police dogs – but no matter where they go, they serve their community with great courage and utmost dedication to their human partners.
Senior Sergeant Tim Partrige is the Officer in Charge of the Brisbane Dog Squad with the Queensland Police and manages nearly 30 dog and handler teams, comprised of German Shepherds, which work as general purpose dogs, and Labradors, which serve as drug detection dogs.
“Queensland has the greatest number of dogs and handlers,” Snr Sgt Partrige says. “In 2011, dog handlers in the entire state (of Queensland) handed over 1,000 offenders to investigating police – these are all people who would have escaped without the use of dogs. Police cannot track from point A to point B. We (dogs and handlers) provide that capability.”
Police dogs in Queensland are bred through Queensland Police’s breeding program and go out to police officer foster carers at eight weeks of age until 14 months to two years of age. “Some dogs mature more quickly than others,” Snr Sgt Partrige explains.
The young dogs then return to the Brisbane Dog Squad to begin an intensive 14-week police dog training course. General purpose dogs are matched with their handlers at the beginning of the course, “so we can build a bond between dog and handler in order for the police dog to have a desire to protect the handler,” he says.
The dogs come out of training at a basic level before they join the police force with their lifelong human partner. “Training is always ongoing with police dogs,” Sgt Partrige says. “It takes a couple of years of further training and practice to hit top gear.”
General purpose and drug detection dogs live with their handlers at their home.
“General purpose dogs and their handlers are at the whim of police communications. They are called in at any time of day or night,” says Snr Sgt Partrige.
These dog and handler teams work a day or afternoon shift and sometimes go to a job immediately from home or visit the police station first to get paperwork done. They sometimes work up to 10 hours a day, he adds.
Their tasks include pulling cars over, attending break in offences and tracking criminals from crime scenes including stolen vehicles. “Offenders will in most cases eventually dump the car and flee on foot. Police dogs track and detain these offenders,” he says.
Some police dogs are cross-trained to detect human remains. These dogs were useful in searching for missing people in the aftermath of the devastating Queensland floods in early 2011, says Snr Sgt Partrige.
Some police dogs, particularly puppies, also visit sick and sometimes terminally ill children in hospitals upon special request. “The dogs light up the children’s’ faces for an hour or so – it’s great,” he says.
As for drug detection dogs, they search for illegal substances, such as heroin and cocaine, over a variety of locations throughout Queensland.
“Labradors love their food and searching for drugs in butchers and freezers and fridges full of meat make it challenging to do their job, even for the most experienced detector dogs,” adds Snr Sgt Partrige.
For general purpose dogs, a significant component of each day is spent training with their handlers. Locations in which the dogs train have to vary in order to keep them at the top of their game, especially when tracking, says Snr Sgt Partrige.
“We also have to change the surfaces on which the dogs are trained, as the scent can change between hard surfaces and grass” he says. “When they find what they are meant to find, their reward is to play a favourite game.”
When the dogs go home at the end of their long shift work, they remain mostly kennelled to keep them rested and ready for when a job is suddenly called in.
Police dogs retire around nine years of age. “We have had exceptions where dogs have reached their tenth year until their bodies give way,” says Snr Sgt Partrige. “When they retire, 99.9 per cent of the time they stay with their handler.”
Police dogs are eligible to receive a Service Dog Award after five years in the police force.
Senior Sergeant Tim Partrige is the Officer in Charge of the Brisbane Dog Squad with the Queensland Police and manages nearly 30 dog and handler teams, comprised of German Shepherds, which work as general purpose dogs, and Labradors, which serve as drug detection dogs.
“Queensland has the greatest number of dogs and handlers,” Snr Sgt Partrige says. “In 2011, dog handlers in the entire state (of Queensland) handed over 1,000 offenders to investigating police – these are all people who would have escaped without the use of dogs. Police cannot track from point A to point B. We (dogs and handlers) provide that capability.”
Where Do Police Dogs Come From?
Police dogs in Queensland are bred through Queensland Police’s breeding program and go out to police officer foster carers at eight weeks of age until 14 months to two years of age. “Some dogs mature more quickly than others,” Snr Sgt Partrige explains.
The young dogs then return to the Brisbane Dog Squad to begin an intensive 14-week police dog training course. General purpose dogs are matched with their handlers at the beginning of the course, “so we can build a bond between dog and handler in order for the police dog to have a desire to protect the handler,” he says.
The dogs come out of training at a basic level before they join the police force with their lifelong human partner. “Training is always ongoing with police dogs,” Sgt Partrige says. “It takes a couple of years of further training and practice to hit top gear.”
What is a Working Day Like For Police Dogs?
General purpose and drug detection dogs live with their handlers at their home.
“General purpose dogs and their handlers are at the whim of police communications. They are called in at any time of day or night,” says Snr Sgt Partrige.
These dog and handler teams work a day or afternoon shift and sometimes go to a job immediately from home or visit the police station first to get paperwork done. They sometimes work up to 10 hours a day, he adds.
Their tasks include pulling cars over, attending break in offences and tracking criminals from crime scenes including stolen vehicles. “Offenders will in most cases eventually dump the car and flee on foot. Police dogs track and detain these offenders,” he says.
Some police dogs are cross-trained to detect human remains. These dogs were useful in searching for missing people in the aftermath of the devastating Queensland floods in early 2011, says Snr Sgt Partrige.
Some police dogs, particularly puppies, also visit sick and sometimes terminally ill children in hospitals upon special request. “The dogs light up the children’s’ faces for an hour or so – it’s great,” he says.
As for drug detection dogs, they search for illegal substances, such as heroin and cocaine, over a variety of locations throughout Queensland.
“Labradors love their food and searching for drugs in butchers and freezers and fridges full of meat make it challenging to do their job, even for the most experienced detector dogs,” adds Snr Sgt Partrige.
Police Dogs Train Every Day
For general purpose dogs, a significant component of each day is spent training with their handlers. Locations in which the dogs train have to vary in order to keep them at the top of their game, especially when tracking, says Snr Sgt Partrige.
“We also have to change the surfaces on which the dogs are trained, as the scent can change between hard surfaces and grass” he says. “When they find what they are meant to find, their reward is to play a favourite game.”
When the dogs go home at the end of their long shift work, they remain mostly kennelled to keep them rested and ready for when a job is suddenly called in.
Police dogs retire around nine years of age. “We have had exceptions where dogs have reached their tenth year until their bodies give way,” says Snr Sgt Partrige. “When they retire, 99.9 per cent of the time they stay with their handler.”
Police dogs are eligible to receive a Service Dog Award after five years in the police force.
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