Hard months ahead for recruits

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 5

Hard months ahead for recruits

Another eight months of bard training await two of the newest recruits to the Christchurch police. Police dogs Puma and Benson have survived a selection process as gruelling as any human hoping to join the police would face. Both German shepherd dogs would be “operational” towards the end of the year, said the head of the police dog section in Christchurch, Sergeant Harold Surgenor. Puma and Benson were given to the police after an

appeal to the public for suitable dogs several months ago. Puma, who is 15 months old, was one of two dogs given to the police by a German couple who had had to move house in Wellington, said his handler, Constable Andy Phillips. Benson, who is 16 months old, was given to the police by an elderly couple at Huntly, said his handler, Constable Greg Clapp. The constables are trainee dog handlers. At present, they must combine

normal police duties and regular training sessions with their dogs. When off duty, Puma and Benson are family pets. The constables said that the dogs had fitted in very well with their families. As part of their training this year, the dogs and handlers will do three onemonth courses at the police dog training centre in Trentham. Sergeant Surgenor also runs regular training sessions. Puma and Benson were

being trained as “general purpose” tracking dogs, he said. When fully trained, they would bring the number of police tracking dogs in Christchurch to 10. All dogs, and their handlers, were tested each year to ensure a high standard was maintained, said Sergeant Surgenor. Refresher courses were also run at Trentham. Dogs had to have a good temperament before being picked for police training, he said. “We do not go round

picking up dogs that have bitten postmen.” They had also to be of good physique and appearance. The police did not seek dogs at present but they were always pleased with the high standard of dogs offered. Many policemen also wanted to be dog handlers and so the selection process for them was also tough, Sergeant Surgenor said.