A POLICE dog unit has been handed a national accreditation for its north Essex training centre.

The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) has been awarded the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) dog school accreditation.

The MDP, which has the second largest police dog capability in the UK, has three training centres across the UK with one at its headquarters in Wethersfield.

The force has more than 200 operational police dogs and handlers across the Ministry of Defence. Dog capabilities range from general purpose police dogs, to cash detection dogs with scanning ability, to dogs specially trained to detect explosives, narcotics and firearms.

The force also uses tactical firearms support dogs, in support of operations, and arms explosive search dogs also act as a high-profile deterrent against, in response to the threat of terrorism. The Wethersfield centre, along with two others at naval bases in Clyde and Devonport, received the national recognition after a NPCC Police Dog Working Group inspection.

Head of MDP Operational Capability Centre, Supt Pam Hewitt, said: “We’re really pleased to receive national accreditation for our police dog training school.

“This involved a great deal of hard work by the Force Dog Officers and training teams, whose personal drive and determination to attain such high recognition has been remarkable.

Assistant Chief Constable Andrea Bishop added: “I’m delighted that our police dog training school has been recognised nationally.

“Thank you to the Force Dog Officers and everyone involved in the accreditation process.

“This is a tremendous accolade for the Force, which highlights the hard work and dedication we put in to training both our dogs and handlers to the highest possible standards. It seems particularly fitting too that this achievement coincides with our 50th anniversary celebrations, marking the role that our police dogs and handlers have carried out in the MDP throughout the past half century and prior to the formation of the Force in 1971.”