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K9 COPS - Police Dogs of the World
Book Review - K9 COPS
Police Dogs of the World
By Andrea Appleton
Have you ever wondered why German shepherds are sometimes
called Alsatians? It’s because these dogs have been used by British
Bobbies since World War I, and the Bobbies preferred the latter
name because of anti-German sentiment at the time.
Can you guess the more obscure
breeds of dogs used for international
law enforcement? How about boxers,
spaniels, and ... chihuahuas?
Yes, that’s right: from a potential pool
of 70 dogs, a long-haired chihuahua
named Momo (Japanese for peach)
was one of 32 dogs that passed a
search and rescue test in western
Japan. It is hoped Momo will be of
special benefit in rescue operations,
because she will be able to squeeze
into areas too small for usual search
and rescue dogs.
These are merely two insights gained
from a quick flip through Nigel
Allsopp’s new book, and flip is what
you’ll want to do when you first get
your hands on it!
Packed full of photos of police dogs
in action around the world, as well as
countless heartwarming anecdotes of
bravery and unwavering loyalty, it’s
hard to resist these fascinating titbits.
But once you’ve flipped back to the
beginning, you’ll realise the whole
book provides interesting information
about police dogs, and their
important role in law enforcement.
K9 Cops explores the history and
current use of police dogs, from
humble beginnings as guard dogs
and companions.
Their early use was not always a
success, such as in 1888 when the
Commissioner of the Metropolitan
Police in London deployed two
bloodhounds in the hope they would
help track down Jack the Ripper.
Instead, one of the dogs bit the
Commissioner, and they both ran
away, requiring a police search to find
them.
Nowadays, police dogs are an
indispensible part of modern policing,
and K9 Cops examines their use in
a wide range of specialist policing
activities, from tracking and riot
control to explosives detection and
border protection. The book also
includes an A – Z section of police
canine units in 47 countries.
Nigel Allsopp is a world authority on
canines. He spent 15 years working
as a dog handler in the Royal New
Zealand Air Force Police before
emigrating to Australia, where he
has trained personnel from customs,
corrective services, and federal
aviation security in the use of
specialist dogs. He is now a Senior
Constable in the QPS dog squad,
working with firearms and explosives
detection dogs.
Snr Const Allsopp thinks the future is
bright for police dogs, because there
is no sign of any technology that
can match their wide-reaching law
enforcement capabilities.
‘What machine can jump a two metre
ditch, climb or jump over a three
metre wall, swim across a water
obstacle, and hold a suspect until you
arrive?’ he asks. He relays a US police
Nigel Allsopp
Big Sky Publishing
Sydney, 2012
RRP: $29.99
dog saying, that if a member of the
public is in trouble, they call 911, and
if a cop is in trouble, they call the dog
unit.
This book is for any officer who has
ever been relieved when the dog
squad showed up, and for anyone
who enjoys heartwarming tales of the
heroics of man’s best friend.
K9 Cops is available from ABC stores
or direct from Big Sky Publishing.
Nigel has also given a copy to the
Police Academy Library.
58
Queensland Police Union Journal August 2012