Meet Our Dogs

Archie

Archie is one of the newest recruits to Tayside Police Dog Section. He was gifted to us in April 2010 and completed his drugs detection course in June 2010 after completing 6 weeks of training.

He attended T in the Park where he was kept very busy and enjoyed the party atmosphere!

He has since worked on shift with his handler Marion, and has had a number of excellent detections across the force area.

Nero

Police Dog Nero is one of our newest recruits to the section and came to us in July 2009 from Holland. He is a sable coloured German Shepherd born on 11/07/08.

Nero completed his General Purpose training on Friday 13/11/09 and has been growing from strength to strength. He is proving to be an asset to the Force. Nero is currently the youngest General Purpose Police Dog and is so far getting good results operationally in respect of property recoveries and the detection of criminals.

Beth

Beth is a black Labrador, who was born early 2008. She was originally a family pet acquired from a dog breeder in Birkhill, Dundee. Beth is from working lines and from a very young age, showed great drive for searching and playing with a tennis ball. Due to her liveliness, small stature and desire to please, it was decided that she would be more suited to life as a police dog.

Beth successfully completed her initial Narcotics Detection Police Dog Course, which she passed with flying colours. Beth is trained in detecting drugs, cash and weapons and further in passive scanning where she can detect drugs on people.

Otis

Otis is a short coated German Shepherd, born in 2007. He is light sable in colour and was brought in from Germany. Otis joined the Dog Section in January 2009 and passed his initial General Purpose Police Dog Training Course with flying colours.

Since then Otis has already established himself to be a formidable force. He has not only been responsible for the apprehension of a number of high profile criminals but he has also traced and saved the life of missing persons.

In his first year Otis assisted in a credible 35 apprehensions, most notable of which was tracking a male who had been responsible for breaking into a Dundee Licensed Premises to an address where the male was found within along with the cash which had been stolen.

Rex

Rex is another of our imported dogs, brought in from Slovakia in July 2009. He is a German Shepherd Dog, black and sable in colour. He has been bred as a working dog and trained from a pup for Police purposes. He is starting to grow in confidence and attitude, as he matures, and is getting some good results on the street.

Finlay

Finlay is a Springer Spaniel trained in the detection of Drugs and Cash. He was originally a family pet but due to his drive and liveliness, makes a great specialist search dog for the Police. During his operational working he has been responsible for the recovery of a substantial amount of both drugs and cash. Most notably following a search of a flat in Arbroath where no recoveries had been made, Finlay indicated on the door of a cellar out in the communal landing. It was established this belonged to the same occupier and on being opened and searched 3 x 9oz bars of cannabis with street value of £1000 were found. During a search of a vehicle stopped in Dundee while being used by known drug dealers from Liverpool Finlay indicated on the centre console / gearstick housing of the car. On being stripped open £2500 cash was found hidden within.

Vigo

Vigo is a German Shepherd dog who was imported from Czech Republic in 2006.  After completing his initial course over a 7 week period he started working for Tayside Police in February 2007.  Vigo is also a Firearm Tactic Dog and has attended at several firearms incidents and training scenarios.  He is a very calm dog and is always popular at demonstrations and visits. However he has successfully located a number of violent and career criminals and found several vulnerable missing persons.

Poppy

Poppy is a Springer Spaniel bitch who started working with Tayside Police in February 2007 and is trained to search for and locate controlled drugs and cash. She was gifted to Tayside Police from a farming background. She is a very lively and happy dog who will search all day. She has been responsible for some significant recoveries ranging from half kilos of heroin to large quantities of concealed cash. She has also had some significant recoveries of drugs concealed within vehicles which may have gone undetected without her assistance.

Fredy

Fredy is a black German Shepherd Dog, who was brought into the UK from Holland. Fredy joined the Police Dog Section and started his course with Otis in January 2009. Fredy passed with no issues.

In his first year Fredy has assisted Police Officers in the apprehension of over 30 persons. He has also found weapons which were used in an attempt murder and property which was discarded as a result of a robbery.

Taz

Police Dog Taz was born in December 2007.  He is a German Shepherd dog. Taz was sourced and subsequently imported from Holland in June 2009. He completed his Initial General Purpose Police dog course in record time.  Taz is an extremely lively dog with real character and has already got his Police career off to a fantastic start with a number of notable apprehensions. He shows remarkable potential for the future.

Buddy

Buddy, a liver and white English Springer Spaniel, was born on 24 December 2008. Buddy was a gift dog to the Force and was donated due to his boisterous and mischievous nature. He is most certainly a 'live wire' and has adapted well to his new role as a drug detection dog. Buddy's first operational duty was at T in the Park 2010 where he demonstrated a natural search ability as well as being a popular character with the festival goers.

Amstel

Amstel is a black and tan, short coat German Shepherd Dog, who was born August 2004 in Holland. He was supplied by a dealer from the Eindhoven area, and was the first dog purchased from overseas by Tayside Police. He came to us as a part trained sport dog and successfully completed his initial General Purpose Police Dog course in a record 6 weeks (normally 12weeks).

Since commencing his operational duties he has become well known throughout the Force area to both friend and foe for his exceptional rate of success, assisting in the apprehension of criminals, recovering property, weapons, and tools used in the commission of crime, as well as locating vulnerable missing persons.

Peppi

Peppi is a black and white Springer/Cocker Spaniel Cross, who was born 2008 in UK. He was gifted to Tayside Police as a pup and has been trained as an Explosives specialist search dog.