Gloucestershire Police Force

Stella was the first ever full Staffie police dog in 2014, she’s had an incredible 8 and a half years of working as a Drugs, Cash and Firearms support search dog.  Winning an Animal Hero Award in London in 2015 Stella has become an ambassador for her breed. Stella will be enjoying her retirement at home with her Handler Claire who is one of our trustees.  

Wiltshire Police Force 

Fozzy the Dutch Herder x GSD retired as a General Purpose and Firearms Support Dog and Boris the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as a Specialist drugs, firearms and cash detection dog. They live together and have retired together. They are inseparable. 

Both having commendations during their service as well as Boris being an unofficial ambassador for the breed! They retired in 2022 at the same time as their handler our Trustee Simon.  All 3 are enjoying their retirement to the full at home together. 

A&S Police Force
RPD Benji was a drugs, cash & firearms recovery dog. He retired in April 2021 at the age of 8 and very quickly settled into the lazy lab life, yet is still always up for an adventure, particularly if a tennis ball is coming along too. He has a big family around him, all providing opportunities for snack stealing, comfy spots to snore, and tummy rubs.

Winnie is a 5 year old GSD who came from West Mids. She was with a previous handler in A&S and I took ownership of her when he left in August 2020. Early in 2021 Winnie became lame on her hind leg and was diagnosed with cruciate disease. She had several months of hydro and physio to strengthen her leg but when we returned operational she sadly became lame on her other hind leg. The decision was made to withdraw her from duties and she has now loving retired life with my mum in Shropshire and is living the life of luxury.

Written by PC Rebecca Crawford
Avon & Somerset Police

He was bred by Devon and Cornwall Police and was paired with his handler Mandy as he was struggling with being in kennels and liked women more.
Argo lived indoors with his handler and this solved his separation issues.
Due to this when Mandy retired from the force in 2019 Argo was allowed to retire as well.

He now lives with Mandy, husband Chris and his little brother and sister rescue French bulldogs Flash and Pebbles.

They moved to Mid Wales shortly after Mandy retired and spend most days walking around the hills and mountains of mid Wales. Regularly going up Pen Y Fan.

Mandy also owns a lodge in North Wales where they spend lots of time and Argo has climbed Snowdon many times.

Argo is 9 this year and loves his life. He sleeps on mums bed and does not mind sharing it with the gremlins.

He recently had a lump removed which was happily just a cist and the nurses fell in love with him.

He is a women’s man mind.

RPD ‘K’  

Avon & Somerset Constabulary (Service 2018-2021) 

‘K’ was first licensed to work at the beginning of 2018. Her first operational success was locating a set of keys belonging to the victim of a robbery in a busy residential setting. She found the keys in a thick hedge. 

Later that year ‘K’ had her first of many prisoners, detaining a suspect as he exited the Volkswagen Centre in Weston Super Mare which he had just broken in to and was found to be carrying the stolen property. 

In June 2018 ‘K’ tracked through fields to find a high-risk suicidal missing person in Taunton. This great work was awarded a ‘Superintendents Letter of Thanks’. 

In mid-2019, ‘K’ attended an incident of a male who having assaulted his partner and their young child before stealing the mothers bank card and making off. He was located but he ran away. ‘K’ was deployed, she chased and detained him brining him to the floor allowing for his arrest. 

Later in December 2019 ‘K’ and her handler were involved in the lengthy pursuit of a vehicle stolen in a burglary. After the vehicle stopped the driver ran off in to the woods. ‘K’ was deployed. She tracked and found him hiding in dense bushes where he was found still in possession of a large knife.  

‘K’ was awarded the ‘Linda Paton Award’ which is the internal Police Dog award for her and her handler being the most improved dog team that year and showing a high level of continuing progress.  

In 2021 ‘K’ was deployed in the Bristol Riots which affected Bridewell Police Station. She was subsequently deployed several times over the following days to numerous associated protests. She was awarded a Chief Constables Commendation for her efforts.  

Holly was a specialist drugs , firearms and cash dog.  She first came to PC Debbie Shields in March 2010 from a family who could no longer keep her and donated her to Gloucestershire Police.  Holly licensed in the June of 2010.  Holly has had a great career supporting her colleagues in Gloucestershire retiring in 2021 aged 12.  Holly once found £80k hidden behind air vents in a vehicle and on her penaltimate shift she found £50k at a premises.  Holly also worked at the 2012 Olympics and NATO in London which was amazing to be part of.  Whilst at the Olympics Holly was having some down time in Regent’s Park chasing her ball when a little girl was heard to say “Daddy look at that cute dog” Debbie ignored this as she just wanted Holly to enjoy herself when a colleague tapped her on the shoulder and said “Do you know who you just blanked, Paul McCartney and his daughter!

Holly is now living at home with Debbie enjoying her well earned retirement on the sofa.  

(9 years)

Heidi came to Avon and Somerset aged 5 from Northumbria after her handler retired and they thought that she was too young to retire herself. She was a brood bitch and had a litter of 5 puppies.

She has the most loving and affectionate nature and adores a good tummy rub but made an excellent general purpose police dog too. She was very protective, rather vocal and had a really good nose. She competed with Louise at regional trials and in addition trained and worked as a firearms support dog. She is affectionately known as Gummy Bear as she’s lost a few teeth now.

Fred worked as a drugs, cash and firearms recovery dog until he retired with Louise in March 2020 aged 8 years. He initially came to A&S from the Bristol Dogs Home as a puppy and was first homed with PC Glyn Jones and then worked with PC Leigh Hext where he was extremely successful . His last year of service was spent with Louise when Leigh became an explosives dog handler and PD Ollie recovered from a spinal operation. On his first operational shift with Louise he sniffed out £72000 cash concealed in the lining of a vehicle. He now spends his time with Louise and her family and his fellow retirees Ollie, Ernie and Heidi. He’s passed as a Pets as Therapy Dog and can’t wait to start his next adventure.

Police dog Kaiser sadly had to retire early at the age of 5 due to a leg injury.   Kaiser is enjoying his retirement with his handler PC Debbie Shields at home on their farm.    Kaiser had a fantastic career catching numerous criminals and locating vulnerable missing persons.    

Retired PD Daniel started his career in Avon & Somerset and during Tri-Force was re handled to PC Phil Powles in Gloucestershire.   PD Daniel and Phil caught numerous criminals during their time together.   PD Daniel retired in June 2020 and will be staying with Phil and his family to enjoy his retirement to the full.   PD Daniel received a K9 Memorial Medal when he retired. 

PD Ollie retired with his handler PC Louise Grabham in Somerset in 2020. Ollie had a very successful career as a Drugs, Cash & Firearms recovery dog.   Ollie is now enjoying life at home with Louise who also retired from the police force in March 2020.  

Police Dog Max was a very successful Police dog in Wiltshire catching numerous criminals and locating vulnerable missing persons.   Max is enjoying his retirement to the full at home with his Handler PC Tracy Doughty.

PD Jake retired in August 2020 after a fantastic career as a specialist drugs, cash & firearms recovery dog. At the age of 11 years Jake has had a full successful career and now deserves a very happy healthy retirement with his new family.

Retired PD Aden came from the A&S “A Litter” breeding programme in 2010. He became National Police Dog Trials Champion with his handler PC Nick Dalrymple in 2013 and Regional Champion in 2012/2013/2014. PD Aden was a Firearms Support Dog who retired with Nick and is enjoying his retirement.

Ernie retired year ago and lives with his handler Louise Grabham in Somerset. He is very much part of the family and loves children and other dogs. Sadly Ernie was diagnosed with a condition called gracilis contracture about 18 months before this not long after he was re-handled by Louise which led to his early retirement.

Operationally Ernie found numerous suspects and received a commendation for tracking to a drink driver that was suffering from hypothermia after he was located in a water filled ditch. Other memorable finds were when he located a robbery suspect under the floorboards of a loft space and a burglar hiding in a shed after tracking for 45 minutes.

Ernie also competed at regional trials and found that very exciting! He has adapted well but still loves to travel in the car on the school run. His mind is kept active by occasional training tracks and property searches with regular check ups at the vets and massaging of his muscles to keep him comfortable.

PC Louise Grabham

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Solo was born in March 2009, he is KC registered and although I don’t know his KC name he was called Oakley before being renamed Solo.

He was put up for rehoming and came to A&S around May 2010.

Solo trained to become an explosives search dog and on qualifying worked with his handler Simon Castledine.
Having already rehomed Diesel I wasn’t on the look out for a second dog! However, sat in the report writing room doing some paperwork, in comes Simon who says the words ‘do you know anyone who wants to rehome my dog?’. ‘What kind of dog?’ I ask, ‘black Labrador’ is the response! At this point I engaged mouth before brain and said ‘I’ll have him!’ Quickly followed by ‘but he’ll have to get on with Diesel as he’s my main priority!’ No thought of how I was going to explain a second dog to my partner!

I took Diesel to meet Solo, they ignored each other! Both ran in different directions, noses to the ground wrapped up in whatever smell they’d found. However on introducing a ball to play with they shared beautifully. Solo was like a rocket going after a ball which made me realise just how slow Diesel was! It didn’t matter which one got to the ball first the other wasn’t fazed. A good sign this might just work!

My next hurdle was convincing my other half that we ought to have a second dog! He’s a cat person and I’m a dog person!

Growing up I’ve always had dogs, Rufus (14)a yellow Labrador, Tess (17) and Pippa (16) both Border Collies we had at the same time , Amy (14) taken on as a retired gun dog at age 5, Holly (16) taken on at aged 10 and Diesel.
My reasoning was that I’d had two dogs before and as you’ve got to walk one anyway having a second was no problem!
He wasn’t convinced, but Solo duly arrived! Solo also had been living outside in a kennel and had to get used being inside. His bed was next to Diesel but he wouldn’t go in it preferring to lie on the tiled floor.
Solo is a smaller build than Diesel and weighs in at 26kg, he also has a mind of his own and for the first 2 weeks refused to do anything he was told!

Diesel was a little jealous, having had his mum to himself he found he suddenly had to share! He also realised he has to share space on the sofa!

I don’t think Solo had ever been on a sofa before and the one person who wasn’t convinced about having a second dog was the one person who invited him up!

Whereas Diesel wanted to climb all over you, Solo was happy to curl up next to you and rest his head on your leg.
Solo needed to learn about the no going upstairs rule, 5 months in and he’s just about got it! Early days we would find he’d disappeared and I’d find him curled up on our bed! A few times I’d go to bed and as I was drifting off there would be a thud as he landed next to me, curled up and went to sleep!

Solo is also a swimmer, he loves the water, however unlike Diesel he understands the word ‘No’ just as he’s about to go into the same muddy, smelly pond!

Solo likes to rescue stones, he’ll happily put his head underwater and pick a stone up and bring it to the shore and go in for another!

In the 5 months that Solo has been with us, both dogs have really come together as a team, having spent 10 days away with them in North Wales in the caravan where they lived in close proximity they are learning new things off each other. There’s a little bit of a bromance going on between them, with Diesel licking Solo round his neck and if he stops Solo will paw him to keep going, it’s very sweet.

I now have two shadows that follow me about, I can no longer close the door of the downstairs loo if I go in, fitting me in with two Labradors no longer works!

Both of my boys are a big part of our lives and are a masdive part of our family, we wouldn’t have it any other way!

PC Michelle Gozna

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Barney joined Gloucestershire Police and trained in Drugs, Cash, Firearms and Ammunition. He enjoyed his job and had several successful operational finds.

In 2012 Barney worked in London at the Olympics. He was up every night searching various Olympic venues for Firearms to ensure the safety of the public. Barney searched Wimbledon, Earls Court and The Horse Guards Parade. It was Barney’s first time in London and he enjoyed every minute. The highlight for Barney was searching Wimbledon with all those tennis balls!!

Barney retired and stayed with me. He enjoys life chasing his ball and cuddling his favourite teddy bear on the sofa. He lives at home with PD Stella the Staffie and PD Quest who are my current working dogs. Barney has a best friend called Flame who is our pet dog they go everywhere together. Barney is fit & healthy and enjoying his retirement to the full.

PC Claire Todd
[See image gallery at wagsretiredpolicedogs.co.uk]