Dog Support Unit

Police dogs working with police dog handlers in one of the many police dog units in forces around the UK perform many essential tasks.

The Police Dog Unit is a support service that can be called upon to assist in missing person searches, searching for criminals or property, locating drugs or explosives, hostage situations and crowd control. Police dogs are commonly specially bred within Police kennels, to ensure a constant supply of dogs. However, some are still bought in, or provided by the public if the dog is still young enough for training. Their main role is to provide proactive and reactive assistance in support of all operational officers and specialist departments by appropriate use of police dogs; to locate and retrieve evidence or offenders, to control potential and actual disturbances, and to enhance officer and public safety.

DSU is the Dog Support Unit. We are a unit designed to assist all over officers in most areas of policing. Dog handlers work with specially trained dogs to help detect and prevent crime, find lost or missing people and protect property. You also help with foot pursuits and provide support in vehicle pursuits in case of a decamp.

You are required to be at least a police constable.

You'll need:

• the ability to teach animals how to do something
• physical attributes like quick movement, coordination and dexterity
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to work on your own and with others
• excellent verbal communication skills