Dog Section

Wiltshire Police's Dog section operates as a specialised team offering round-the-clock assistance to colleagues throughout Wiltshire Police who require the aid of dogs for search operations.

The police officers who work with dogs are known as dog handlers. Both the dogs and their handlers undergo intensive 12 to 14-month training. The dogs live with, and are cared for, by dog handlers in their own homes, which helps to build trust. This can result in changes needing to be made to officers’ homes, vehicles and family life, so being a dog handler is a big, long-term commitment. 

Our Police Dogs (PD) have different specialist skills including being able to detect drugs, firearms, explosives or missing people.