The dog section consists of 15 general purpose dogs - 5 of which are trained to work with the firearms team, 2 that can detect explosives and 8 that can detect drugs, weapons and cash.
The breeds used by Cleveland Police are German Shepherd, Belgian Shepherd, Cocker Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel, Labrador and Labrador/Spaniel cross. They are trained from the age of between 12 and 18 months and are put through an intensive 13 week training course where upon completion a licence is granted if they can demonstrate the three elements of Safety, Efficiency and Control when performing all exercises. This then allows them to work operationally.
The main sensory input of a dog is its sense of smell. Their eyesight is very effective at detecting movement especially in low light and their hearing is very sensitive making them valuable for a wide range of duties including:
- Searching - For persons or property. Large areas including buildings and woodland can be searched quickly by the dog picking up a scent. The dog is trained to bark to indicate something has been found.
- Tracking - Following the path of a person.
- Detaining suspects - A police dog can easily outrun a fleeing suspect and they are trained to detain a person until the officer arrives. If the suspect stops - the dog is trained to stand off and bark.
- Public order - A police dog can be used to quickly clear areas and provide extra support in large crowds such as football matches and demonstrations.
- Use of force - To disarm threats of serious violence, such as a person with a weapon.
Cleveland Police have a fleet of Ford Focus Estates to transport the dogs to various locations, all of which are modified for this purpose and are fitted with air conditioning to ensure the dogs comfort.
A dogs career can last as long as 7 years with the police, and throughout this time they live with the officer.
