Pawfect work recognised on International Dog Day

Determined police dogs have been giving a helping paw to their handlers to keep Sussex and Surrey safe.

The Dogs Unit teams working across both counties have achieved a number of successes in recent weeks.

Both forces are sharing examples of the good work done to celebrate International Dog Day, and to demonstrate the vital frontline work being done to catch criminals, keep our communities safe, and deliver an outstanding service to the public.

In Sussex, PD Perry and PD Ezra played a crucial role in tracking down a drugs suspect after colleagues from the Roads Policing Unit stopped a vehicle on the A27 at Fontwell on July 27.

Their handler, Sergeant Matt Songhurst, said: “I arrived at the scene with PD Perry, a three-year-old Germany Shepherd, and he immediately got to work to find the passenger.

“He found the suspect hiding after he attempted to run through a hedgerow, and we were able to arrest him.

“Meanwhile PD Ezra, a three-year-old Cocker Spaniel, helped search the area, and located a package which had been discarded.

“It contained multiple deal bags of what we believe to be crack cocaine and heroin.

“Thanks to PD Perry and PD Ezra we were able to arrest the two suspects and ensure that we gathered evidence of their involvement in drug dealing.”

Meanwhile PC Toby Spires has been working with PD Tsar, a two-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd who has been bred as part of the Surrey and Sussex Dog School.

They have been working together since December 2020, and started operational policing together in May 2021.

PC Spires said: “Since then, PD Tsar has helped track and detain multiple offenders from vehicles which have failed to stop, as well as offenders from domestic incidents where offenders have sought to leave an address and hide.

“He has been deployed to assist our colleagues policing the night time economy in Eastbourne and Hastings on a number of occasions, and helped with arrests and detentions in the process.

“Tsar has also helped to locate high risk missing people, and has also helped officers track down wanted suspects for incidents such as affray and assault.

“He is an outstanding dog and loves his work.”

Meanwhile in Surrey, PC Seb Drennan has been working with PD Birkin, a two-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd.

They have been working together for more than a year, and recently were called over concerns of a burglary at garages in Cobham.

Birkin was quick into action, helping to disrupt the suspects, helping PC Drennan to detain one of the men involved, and causing the second man to drop his wallet at the scene before running away.

Finally, PD Rex has been kept busy in Surrey with handler PC Chloe Hodgkinson.

He used his skills to find a jacket and a set of keys linked to a suspect who threw a package containing drugs, phones, and cash over a perimeter fence outside HMP Coldingley.

This has helped officers to identify a suspect in relation to the case, and demonstrates the wide variety of work police dogs undertake in order to disrupt drug supply and criminality in our communities.