DOGS AS POLICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 75, 28 March 1936, Page 6

DOGS AS POLICE

GUARDING THE DOCKS

AIREDALES AT CARDIFF

In a long row of kennels at Barry, near Cardiff, are dozens of Airedales of all ages from puppyhood up to ten years, writes Mr. J. H. Matthews in the "Sunday Graphic," London. They are the guardians of the biggest dock system in the world. These dogs are specially bred for police work, and when I was chief of the Great Western Railway police they were fourfooted members of my staff.

Many of the officers under my command have had.reason to bless the day when it was decided to enrol these canine helpers. More than one of my men, indeed, has owed his life to one of these Airedales when some foreign seaman or other tough, in some cases armed, has attacked them suddenly by springing out from the dark shadows, of coal trucks beneath which they had been lurking in any one of the twelve docks owned by the company. Fr&m the moment they are born the dogs are trained for their work. One of the first things they are taught is never to accept food from a person who is not in police uniform. As they grow they are trained to distinguish suspicious characters from people going about their lawful business. Their own wonderful instinct proves an infallible guide. BRUTAL ATTACK. It is only a short time ago that one of my officers was patrolling Bute Docks, Cardiff, in the middle of the night. There had been a number of big robberies from vans and trucks, and he was on the alert. The Airedale with him was a few paces ahead. Suddenly near a group of wagons the dog stopped and its hairs bristled. The policeman could see nothing nor did he hear anything that indicated a person being near. Then, without warning, a huge fellow sprang out flourishing a big iron bar. He made a rush at the officer, and before the policeman could defend himself the iron bar was brought down on his skull. The man then took to. his heels when the dog attacked him. Another officer saw the man running and gave chasa, and at last the tough, exhausted, stood and turned: at bay. He did not at first see the dog at the officer's heels. He advanced, brandishing the iron bar, and shouted: "I'll serve you as I served your mate." "ILL COME QUIETLY." The dog sprang. True to its training, it leaped at the man's chest and knocked him down. With a yell of terror the hooligan threw away the iron bar. "Take the dog off and I'll come quietly," he shrieked. He did. He was taken to the police station, not really by the officer so much as by the dog, which marched at his heels the whole way, and the man was sentenced 1 for his attack,on the first policeman, who lay for months in hospital. I always maintained that one dog was equal to two police officers. With the miles of wharves to be patrolled, chiefly in the dead of night, one of these dogs can cover an area in sniffing out thieves and other undesirables which no human being could tackle. \ Years ago Cardiff was a hotbed 01 the smuggling of opium. There was in those days a large Chinese population living near the docks. From cargo ships which came in from the Far East almond-eyed figures would steal ashore with the opium concealed in any of the many hiding places which their Eastern garments made possible. VESSEL FROM SHANGHAI. Into Swansea docks one winter's evening some years ago came a vessel from Shanghai. Her crew were largely Asiatic. On a previous voyage which this ship had made to a Bristol Channel port—it was actually Newport—l knew that a large quantity of contraband had been smuggled ashore, and we were on the look-out for a repetii tion of it. For several hours some of my men '. hung around the sides of the ship in ) two dinghies waiting and watching for [ any sign of people leaving her to go - ashore. She was not moored along- - side a quay at this moment, and to r land, anyone from the ship had to 5 take a boat. i Just, after midnight the watchers in - one of the dinghies heard a sound on deck Then they saw a rope slung 1 over the ship's side. Down it warmed . a Chinese coolie, and, like a flsh or a f water rat, he silently dropped into-the s- black waters of the dock. He began to i swim towards the nearest quay. The -officers followed him cautiously in - such a way as to make him thrnkte - had not been seen. The Chinese landed s at some steps. The police were only - a few yards behind as he mounted l them, and by the time the man had go. to the top he was seized. He was searched in the office, but at first nothing was found on him n which he had no right to have. One l" observant member of my staff saw, however, that the coolie was wearing f fairly heavy boots. That seemed uni usual from two points of view. F rst- ? lv coolies rarely wear more than light ,■ slippers, and in the second placte, no I man chooses heavy footwear if he is r r. gtld? between the. lin--1 ings was nenrly three pounds oopium * in each boot! It says a lot for the t swimming powers of that coolie that c he was able to reach the qua).