FOI 837/24 Police Dog Data

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Enquiry Reference:  837 - 24                                                                                          

 

I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request.  Below is your request and our response.

 

How many serving police dogs do you currently have?

• 17

How many police dog handlers do you currently have?

• 14

 

How many police dog trainers do you currently have?

• 3

 

Please confirm the gender split of female and male police dog handlers?

• 12 Male 2 Female

 

Please confirm number of police dogs in your force which have died or been euthanised while still enrolled as a police dog (please include cause of death for each dog) from January 2020 until present.

• 2 - Illness

 

How many police dogs have retired from the force since January 2020 until present day? Please include reason for retirement. 

• 3 Illness/Injury,  14 – Retired due to Age,  18 – Not Suitable for Police duty.

 

How many police dogs have been euthanised as they’re deemed unsuitable for retirement since January 2020 until present day?

• 0

 

How many police dogs have failed their initial training course, and subsequently been re-homed or euthanised since January 2020 until present day?

• 0 euthanised

 

What is the yearly expenditure for all police dogs?

• Variable due to numerous and unforeseeable. factors

 

Do your police dog handlers undertake canine first aid training? If so, how often are they provided a refresher course?

• Yes - Yearly

 

Are your police dogs supplied with personal protective equipment? If so, please state the equipment provided, brand of the equipment and confirm if it’s personal issue to each serving police dog?

• Yes – Ballistic Armour ( We will not disclose private contractor details to protect their privacy).  Ear Defence for firearm support dogs.

 

Are your police dogs provided with a direct financial assistance in their retirement from your police force or police crime commissioner?

• No

 

How many suspects have been arrested by your force under ‘Finn’s Law’ aka The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) for causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal since 8th June 2019 until present day?

• 0

 

How many suspects have been charged by your force under ‘Finn’s Law’ aka The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) for causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal since 8th June 2019 until present day?

• 0

 

How many suspects have been convicted by your force under ‘Finn’s Law’ aka The Animal Welfare (Service Animals) for causing unnecessary suffering to a service animal since 8th June 2019 until present day?

• 0

Please note that all statistical data supplied in relation to Freedom of Information requests is a snapshot of data held at the time the request was received by the Freedom of Information office and is subject to constant change/updates.

 

The Cleveland Police response to your request is unique and it should be noted that Police Forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures to capture and record data therefore responses from Cleveland Police should not be used as a comparison with any other force response you receive.

 

If you are not satisfied with this response or any actions taken in dealing with your request, you have the right to request an independent internal review of your case under our review procedure. The Freedom of Information Code of Practice (see below link) states that a request for internal review should be made within 20 working days of the date on this response or 40 working days if extenuating circumstances to account for the delay can be evidenced. Public authorities are not obliged to accept internal reviews after this date.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice

 

 

Yours sincerely

Information Rights Decision Maker