Sheffield police hit back at critics over ‘out-of-control’ service dogs

Sheffield police have hit back at criticism for their 'out-of-control' service dogs, stressing that police dogs are not pets and that they are trained to do challenging and dangerous jobs.
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South Yorkshire Police Operational Support said their PD Benson and his handler Tez received some flak from several quarters on Facebook when they were filmed deploying at a scene in Sheffield.

They said: "It seems that despite not ever having handled any service dog, nor any type of working dog, the self-proclaimed experts have plenty to say.

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"Now we know to take this with a pinch of salt, and it is gratifying to see the positive comments from people who do have a better understanding and who bring a sense of balance.

PD Benson and Handler TezPD Benson and Handler Tez
PD Benson and Handler Tez

"I just thought it a good time to remind the world that Police Dogs are not pets.

"They are trained to do a job, a job that is challenging, often threatening, violent and dangerous. They say when the public need help they call the Police, when the police need help they call in the dogs!"

They said the Belgian Malinois, Dutch Herder and German Shepherds that they employ are sourced for their "drive, speed, power and dogged determination.

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"Often when deployed in the thick of things, handling may appear to the uneducated to be quite harsh – holding dogs by collar for example.

"The dogs are trained to respond to different stimuli, pulling back on the collar encourages the dog to launch forward.

"It is solely the Dog Handlers’ responsibility to ensure the safety of people around them, public, other officers, and believe it or not the suspect/offender, if that requires firm handling then that is what it has to be."

Despite the dogs being "hard as nails", there are also the other side of the furry animals when they are off duty.

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"The dogs work and live with their handlers, ’24-7’ as they say, and the dog and handler relationship is paramount.

"So, for all those critics who see our boy Benson as ‘out-of-control’, ‘vicious’ or whatever, here’s both sides of the Dutch Herder; showing his mettle at work, and chillin’ at home with pet friend Seb, and on patrol at home guarding Tez’s chickens keeping foxes and next door’s cat away,” they said.