Cairns police dog squad paw patrol keeping community safe

As Cairns battles a crime wave and victims call out for a tough response, these are the frontline police recruits who are putting the bite on lawbreakers.

AS Cairns battles a crime wave and victims call out for a tough response, a tenacious breed of police recruits is putting the bite on lawbreakers.

Cairns Police Dog Squad’s leader, Sergeant Dave Raymond, has revealed he pends all shift with his canine companion Police Dog Axel, an eight year-old german shepherd, before the pair head home to relax.

Sgt Raymond, 56, has 33 years on the job, including 22 in the dog squad, and he said that PD Axel, is his fourth canine partner.

“The dogs understand when they are working and when they are not,” he said.

“Axel has his own airconditioned area in the back of the police ute, we work alone with our dog, and often go chasing offenders a long way from any help or back-up.”

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With five officers and seven dogs comprising four general purpose dogs and three drug detection dogs, the squad has two handlers who run a general purpose (GP) and drug detection dog (DDO).

“GP dogs in Cairns are PD Axel, PD Thor, PD Ballast, PD Jury with drug, firearms and cash detection dogs PD Neo, PD Quincy and PD Radar,” Sgt Raymond said.

“GP dogs have numerous skills including tracking of offenders, bush and building searches, agility for jumping through windows and fences and of course the skill most people associate with police dogs, apprehension of offenders – and there’s also dogs with other capabilities such as cadaver detection, cash detection and blood detection.”

Sgt Raymond said the squad is extremely close-knit.

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“When PD Quizz went missing in Ipswich last month, the Cairns Dog Squad members felt the situation very keenly ” he said.

Senior Constable Brian McLeod of the Tactical Crime Sqaud is apprehended by Police Dog Axel during a training exercise at the Cairns Showgrounds. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Our area spreads from Cardwell in the south and Thursday Island to the north and west as far as Karumba.”

And the dogs can make a huge contribution through apealing to vulnerable people.

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“A few years ago I was able to talk down woman who was on the roof of Cairns Hospital with the promise she could see PD Axel,” he said.

“The dogs are often called upon to track offenders, sometimes over many kilometres and you have to be able to keep up over back yard fences, creek beds, bridges and drain pipes or tunnels.”

Officer in Charge of the Cairns Dog Squad Sergeant Dave Raymond show how fit and agile with Police Dog Axel is during a training exercise at the Cairns Showgrounds. Picture: Brendan Radke

Originally published as Cairns police dog squad paw patrol keeping community safe