South Yorkshire

RPD Betzy

05/01/2017 – 04/02/2022

Served Feb 2018 – Dec – 2021

Handler PC Pitcher

Betzy was an exemplary Explosive Search Dog who enjoyed her work.

Sadly after only working for 4 years she had to take early retirement but enjoyed being at home with her handler.

Betzy is greatly missed by her handler, family and all who knew her.

RPD Nasa

08/2008 – 12/06/2020

Served July 2009 – October 2013

Handler PC Brackpool

Nasa was given his named because he liked his space!  He was a General Purpose, firearms support and helicopter support dog.

Nasa was famous throughout SYP,  Rotherham and Doncaster areas where he mostly operated.

Nasa was a fabulous tracking dog and the track wasn’t over till it was over. His longest successful track was 2 1/2 hours through Dinington after a car thief in the early hours of the morning.

Nasa’s handler shared the following with us.

“He once went off a 12 foot wall onto a road to get to a drug dealer who failed to stop.

Said drug dealer drove into cul-de -sac and ran, followed by Nasa,  followed by me.  Bad man went over gardens and vanished,  then Nasa vanished.  I soon found out why and couldn’t stop.  When other officers scrapped me up concussed. They said “You need to get your dog off of suspect!”

Nassa had gone down the wall  jumped off and smashed his face  but still carried. I spent the night in hospital and Nasa went to the vets to have his face patched up.”

Sadly Nasa’s career was cut short due to an injury after he got his back leg caught up on a fence, it took four officers to get him down.

Nasa enjoyed a long and happy retirement at home with his handler.  His handler said “he was my colleague, my guardian and above all my friend, he is greatly missed”

RPD Paddy

21/02/2004-17/04/2020

Served 2007-2014

Handler PC Pitcher

Paddy was an amazing PD and during his career he found over a million pound in drugs and cash.  On his first ever search he helped locate over a kilo of heroin.

Paddy enjoyed many happy years of retirement and is greatly missed by his handler and family.

RPD Duke

27/05/2007 – 11/09/19

Service 2008 – 06/03/19

Handler PC Brackpool

Duke retired with his handler in March 2019.

His handler wrote the following.

“He was still very operational right up to the last day !!

He was very special and was sort after from many forces up and down the country including Cardiff, Stratford upon Avon, Derbyshire and Cumbria to name but a few.

Most of all he was my friend we had great times and great finds and I miss him already.”

RPD Diesel

Diesel served from 2009-2016 and was handled by PC Shaw.

Diesel retired to PC Shaw and had a long and happy retirement, enjoying long walks with his partner RPD Axel.  They would wait at the kitchen door yelping for their dad to get himself ready to go.  Sadly and very suddenly Diesel passed away on 25th November 2018 whilst out walking.  PC Shaw wrote the following about Diesel who is very much missed.

“Diesel found me!

I’d been in the dogs since 1996 and my second GSD Champ was due to retire. This is always a stressful time for dogmen/women!  The civvy driver happened to ask me if I knew anyone after a dog as his neighbours had a pup which was out of control.

The pup was a 5 month GSD so I rang to enquire about it. The woman was very apologetic but Diesel had been re homed.  Nothing lost and my search for a new dog continued.

Two weeks later I was sat at home with a coffee when my phone rang. It was Diesels owner again, the re-home hadn’t gone well as he kept nicking the washing from the line and chewing it ??.  So I arranged to see him that evening.

Immediately on putting the phone down another dog handler rang, he knew I was after a dog and his mate had re-homed one but given it back as it was out of control, it was the same dog Diesel.  How spooky I thought that dog is destined for me!

There’s an old Gamekeeper saying ‘A Good Dog Will Find You’

I duly attended and it was a cul de sac, as I pulled up my heart sank.  Firstly nearly every neighbour had come to watch, Diesel was a much loved local celebrity pup! But secondly Diesel looked shocking! One ear up, one ear down, no fur at all around his neck following an allergy and I wasn’t even sure he was a pure bred GSD. The one thing he had going was his long hair, all of mine have been long haired GSDs.

Anyway I felt like driving off but was compelled to go through the motions to keep the neighbourhood happy.  I’d already decided to use the too young excuse.  Anyway after initial introductions I asked if I could take Diesel into the back garden.  I chucked a ball he retrieved it, I hid the ball a few times and he manically found and retrieved it.  I asked him to speak, he did!  Finally I put on a sleeve and he bit it and ragged me about, no leave though ??  In short he was awesome.

I took him there and then and when other handlers saw him they all said ‘What The ***+ Have You Got There’  I always replied ‘An Ugly Duckling Who Will Make A Swan’  In short, show him something once and that was all that was needed. He was the smartest most athletic dog I’ve had. He was SYP and North East Champion numerous times. He competed at Nationals a few times but in truth he was a better PD than I was a PD Handler. But he was also so soft and trustworthy but could turn into a crazed wolf when pushed.

His death was a shock and I am truly privileged to have shared my life with him.
Diesel the dog that found me!”

RPD Max

Max worked between 1998 and 2007. He was a drugs and firearms dog. He died aged 13 in 2009.

RPD Baz

Baz served between 1996 and 2003. He died in 2005 aged 11 years.

RPD Spike

Spike worked between 2006 and 2010. He died in 2012 aged 9.

RPD Champ

Champ worked between 2002 and 2011. He died in 2013 aged 12.

RPD Paddy

RPD Cairo