The workings behind the Essex Police Dog Section were unveiled to the public at a special open day.

Visitors to the Sandon dog unit, near Chelmsford, were treated to demonstrations of drug searches and other examples of the crimebusting work carried out by the canines.

The centre has not been out of the news within the past year with a high profile court case involving police officers accused of mistreating dogs during training.

But the public were urged to see the dogs for themselves yesterday with their handlers and discover the training methods that are used on a daily basis. Many of the 50 dogs "employed" at the unit were displaying their expertise.

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