POLICE DOG ALFIE HANGS UP HIS HARNESS @dontditchthedogs

October 23, 2014, 2:02 pm

One of Staffordshire Polices most successful employees has retired after eight years loyal service, dog and pup.

Police dog Alfie, a springer spaniel, joined the force in June 2006 aged 18 months. He was trained initially in the finding of illegal substances and firearms, their components and ammunition.  He was licensed at the end of his eight week course and continued to be relicensed every year.  After a few years he was also trained to sniff out cash in the form of Bank of England notes and Euros.

Alfie covered the whole of Staffordshire and also provided support to colleagues on the Central Motorway Policing Group (CMPG). He has also lent a paw to Cheshire and West Midlands Police on searches when they needed assistance. Alfie has taken part in many V festivals searching vehicles, tents and undertaken searches on Operation Nemesis, the forces response to tackling Class A drug dealers. Over the past eight-and-a-half years he has been responsible for recovering millions of pounds in illegal drugs and cash, and contributing to the arrest of in excess of 400 people.

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His handler, PC Julie Hargreaves said: “Alfie has been THE BEST search trained dog that Staffordshire Police has ever, ever had… And, yes I am biased!

“He has been a brilliant search dog and has had a lot of success. In one search alone he recovered over a £1,000,000 in cannabis resin from a container stored on a container yard nr Burton; in another, £500,000 worth of heroin from a vehicle stopped by CMPG and this was after their officers had declared they couldn’t find anything and then £250,000 in cash again, from a vehicle on the motorway when CMPG officers couldn’t find anything. These are just three examples of great work done by him.

“When Alfie isn’t searching vehicles or buildings we also go out and help with Community Events such as the County Show, village shows, and other agency open days. He also goes into schools to teach the children how to stay safe, how to approach dogs and how to treat dogs and also to show them what he can do.

“I was really proud recently when he won Best in Show at Lyme Valley Park, Newcastle when he was there supporting Newcastle LPT at Mid Summer Mayhem.  Thats not the full extent of his show career, though. PD Alfie has also been to Crufts for the past two years along with colleagues from West Midlands Police meeting and greeting members of the public as well as taking part in the police demonstrations in the main arena at Crufts.

“Alfie is being rehomed and will be living in the country. He will have a brother and sister English springer spaniel who he will be able to lead astray and enjoy his retirement with.  Hell also be able to join the Staffordshire Retired Police Dog Scheme which is a new organisation run by volunteers with the mission to improve the lives of our Retired Police Dogs.”