Nottinghamshire Police welcomes two new canine recruits to help tackle drugs

Two new passive drugs dogs have been welcomed to the ranks of Nottinghamshire Police’s dog section and are set to sniff out illegal substances throughout the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

PD Sadie and PD Oakley are the two latest members to boost numbers in the dog section as part of an ongoing commitment to clear drugs from Nottinghamshire’s streets.

Sadie, who is two-and-a-half years old, and Oakley, who is two years old, both came to Nottinghamshire Police after being pets.

Spotting their talents, officers have since guided them through a six-week course which has trained them to detect a wide host of class A and class B drugs, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis and MDMA.

Both Sadie, a red Labrador, and Oakley, a black Labrador, will frequently be deployed as part of ongoing operations, such as Operation Guardian where officers detect and prevent violence or drugs activity in Nottingham centre.

Nottinghamshire Police now boasts a team of 22 canine cops – 13 general purpose dogs for hunting down and chasing criminals, as well as nine specialist sniffer dogs.

Inspector Tim Ringer, from Nottinghamshire Police’s dog section, said: “It is a really exciting time to be able to welcome two more passive drugs dogs onto the team.

“The investment in these highly capable and specially trained dogs will further increase our capacity to assist local officers and effectiveness in detecting and seizing a wide variety of drugs.

“Criminals can get very creative in their efforts to stop people, and especially the police, getting their hands on drugs which are in their possession. It is incredibly hard to hide these kinds of possessions from a highly trained dog with their superb senses.

“During a search there really is no comparison to the efficiency, reliability and effectiveness they provide in discovering the items and getting results.

“Both dogs and their handlers, PC Louise Roberts and PC James Sills, have done an exceptional job bringing them on to this stage and I very much look forward to seeing them out on the streets and seeing the results they achieve.

“I would also like to thank our Police Dog Trainers, PC Nick Dachtler and Bob Newham, and all of the volunteers who assisted as stooges throughout the six-week course as without them we would not have got to the positive position we have. ”

All sniffer dogs are independently assessed by officers from external forces and have their skills re-examined every year to ensure the continued confidence of the courts.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “I’m immensely proud of the work our officers and dogs are doing - through Operation Guardian - to stamp out drugs from Nottinghamshire’s streets.

“So much crime in Nottinghamshire has its roots in drugs and violence in the fight for territory, markets and commodities. This is why any innovation that detects drugs use and dealing is so vital.”