A crime fighting dog has been commended for her work tackling some of the county’s most dangerous criminals.
Sussex Police dog Isla has been named Sussex Police Dog of The Year.
Over the course of her career PD Isla has been responsible for finding and detaining numerous offenders from serial domestic violence perpetrators to county lines criminals.
In addition to her general duties, she is a firearms support dog and regularly works with firearms and Counter Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officer teams in planned and spontaneous incidents, tackling some of the counties’ most dangerous criminals.
Already this year she has clocked up an “enviable record” of detentions, Sussex Police said.
The force said a recent highlight was the track and detention of a suspect following a report of a robbery where the robbers used a claw hammer and carving knife to threaten the victim.
On arrival PD Isla picked up a track and found one of the suspects hiding some distance away hiding in a bin store.
Another recent example of PD Isla’s “exceptional” tracking skills was the track and detention of a person of interest believed to be involved in an organised crime gang.
Sussex Police said the suspect had fled from a vehicle following a stop by the tactical firearms team.
But they were no match for PD Isla as she picked up a track and found the suspect hiding in undergrowth.
The force said a search of the vehicle by PD Isla’s crewmate PD Casper resulted in the seizure of a “large amount of drugs”.
PD Isla’s handler said: “She is an exceptional police dog who has brought countless offenders to justice and saved numerous lives during the course of her service.
“She is a great asset and thoroughly deserves her win of Police Dog of the Year.”
