Derbyshire Police dog puts her training to the test

A Derbyshire Police dog put her training into practice during the early hours of Thursday (6 January) morning.

Stella and her handler were deployed to a robbery where a suspect had used a hammer and stolen numerous items before running away from the scene.

Stella's intensive 13-week training came into play as she was put to work to track the suspect from the last seen location.

She eventually found the suspected offender hiding underneath a vehicle.

How are police dogs trained?

Police dog training involves a 13-week course which focuses on three main areas - Safety, control and efficiency.

The dog is introduced to their handler for the first time at the start of the course and build up a bond.

At the end of the physically and mentally challenging course the dog and handler know each other well and become a crime-fighting partnership.