Latest canine cadets for West Midlands Police
THE short paw of the law... at just a few days old, these cute canine cadets are recruits to the thin blue line in Birmingham.
But don’t be taken in by the puppy dog eyes, giant padded paws or the fluff-ball fur – these young German Shepherds are heading for police school for training to dish out their own brand of “woof justice”.
Dubbed the “A Litter”, the furry crimefighters were among a family of ten pups born under a police breeding programme last Wednesday.
They represented a double delight for staff at West Midlands Police Dog Training Centre, in Balsall Common, who celebrated the birth of six new springer spaniels, the “F Litter”, the night before.
Nonehas been named yet.
The births came just weeks after ten spaniels were born in July under the breeding programme.
Insp Stuart Manley, head of the centre, said his staff had their work cut out caring for the extended family.
“It’s been really busy with the three new litters. We had six one night and 11 the night before,” he said.
“It’s an exciting time for us at the moment.”
Those German Shepherd pups that make the grade will become general purpose police dogs, and the spaniels could be trained as sniffer dogs.
Insp Manley said: “The spaniels will be trained as specialist dogs to search for drugs, explosives, cash and firearms.
“With the spaniels, we are already looking towards the Olympics in 2012 for them to be trained and ready to be used as search dogs.
“We are also looking at the possibility of training some of them as crime scene dogs to search for blood and body recovery.”
The force breeding programme, led by PC Tony Brown, is rated as one of the most successful in the country.
Puppies born to the centre have been sent to other forces around the country.
Koreans use them to sniff out termites in their old buildings.
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