Meet PC Jem and Her Dogs, Dusty and Terra on Patrol

We caught up with Dog Handler Jem and her two four-legged mates, Dusty (Labrador) and Terra (German Shepherd), to hear what life’s really like in the Dog Section. From chasing down suspects to helping keep communities safe, this trio is always ready for action.

Jem’s journey into policing started with a tough childhood and a strong desire to help others. Becoming a dog handler was her dream from the start – and after years of hard work, she made it happen. In this blog, she shares what inspired her, what it’s like working with her dogs every day, and some of the unforgettable (and sometimes hilarious) moments they’ve had on the job.

What inspired you to become a Police Officer, and what led you to specialise as a dog handler?

When I was a child, I had a lot of contact with the police due to my parents’ substance abuse. I was eventually taken into care, and from that point onwards, I don’t remember not wanting to be a police officer. I distinctly remember the people trying to help, and I wanted to be just like them.

I had a very strong knowledge of right and wrong from a young age, and when I eventually got to 18, I joined TVP as soon as possible. I’ve used my childhood experiences to help me during my career.

Dog handling was always my end goal. After serving 11 years in various other roles, I felt it was time to go for the job role I had always wanted. I love working with animals, and I was always drawn to that unique partnership between a handler and their dog. It’s so rewarding to watch your dogs develop and learn the skills they need to work alongside you in the communities.

Can you describe the bond between you and your police dogs – what makes it unique?

Every dog is different, not just down to their breed or the way they look, but their personalities. You spend 24/7 with your dogs, talk to them in the car on patrol, spend hours walking, exercising and training them, and they repay you by being loyal and working hard. Especially for the General Purpose (GP) dogs, they may have to ultimately give everything to protect you, and yet they never falter in their enthusiasm to get in the car every day and go to work. The bond you build with your dogs, therefore, becomes incredibly strong.

What does a typical day look like for you in this role?

At the start of every shift, we get dogs ready for work. This includes a top-to-tail check, making sure the dogs don’t have injuries/illnesses that may have developed overnight. We check teeth, eyes, ears, feet, body, tail, and everything you can think of. If the dogs are all in order, they have a pre-work walk, and we get loaded up in the car.

Terra wears her police harness, we book on, and then we hit the road. Throughout the shift, we will respond to jobs where officers think we might be of use. Whether that be the GP dog, specialist search dogs or advice over the phone, especially at dangerous dog jobs, etc.

We also proactively police with the local policing teams on problem areas & Domestic Violence Protection Notice (DVPN) checks. Throughout the day, the dogs get walks and breaks from the car. We often do environmental training with some of the instructors, which is important for the young dogs. There is never a dull moment, and I find my days are filled with all sorts of different things. At the end of the shift, the dogs will have their dinner before relaxing for the evening and finally, a bedtime walk.

How do you train and care for your police dog – on and off duty?

We have a training department made up of dog instructors, these are both civilians and officers who have a wealth of experience in the dog training world. My specialist search dog, Dusty, is a Person Screening Drug Detection dog, and has her own training schedule for the year, as well as my GP, Terra, who has her own training calendar.

We work hard to maintain the dog’s standard, both during our routine training days and our environmental training. The training is spread over the year and includes various training days in all sorts of different environments and locations. Each dog is licensed to the handler, and it is your responsibility to maintain that license.

My Terra is quite a young dog, so we work on environmental training, where the trainers meet you in the public domain, and that means the dog training can be as real as possible, and this is invaluable for the progression and training of the young dogs.

Off duty, it’s the handler’s responsibility to maintain dog standards and care for the dogs. Some of the examples of things we can do off-duty include agility, heel work & property indication work; all these things can be done on our daily walks.

What’s one memorable moment you’ve experienced while working with your dogs?

There are lots of memorable moments working with my dogs – it’s hard to choose just one. For many handlers, it’s your first dog prisoner that sticks with you, and mine was no different.

I was involved in a pursuit where four offenders had decamped from a vehicle. I deployed with my dog, Aldo, but they had all disappeared into the darkness of a play park. Officers managed to detain one male, and I tasked Aldo to track. He immediately indicated on a bank card and a Nando’s chicken loyalty card. I was really pleased, thinking they belonged to the offender and could help identify him.

Very quickly, an officer called up to say they were actually his – he’d dropped them while detaining the first offender. Thankfully, Aldo had recovered his Nando’s card!

We continued, and officers pointed me toward another suspect. I tasked Aldo to track again, which he did, but the trail seemed to stop. My body-worn camera then captured Aldo taking the opportunity to go to the toilet next to a bush. As I quickly tried to clean that up, he suddenly dove into the bushes next to the mess and let out a single loud bark. He paused, then erupted into barking. I had to ditch the clean-up and call out the offender Aldo had just found.

I was so proud he’d found the offender, but I had to go back and finish cleaning up!

What advice would you give to others, especially women, interested in becoming a dog handler?

After joining the police and completing your initial training and probation period, you can apply for a dog handler role when a vacancy becomes available. It’s a competitive process, but with the right preparation and passion, it’s absolutely achievable.

I highly recommend getting on the mentor scheme. You will be assigned a dog handler, who can act as your point of contact for advice and guidance, as well as being there for ride-alongs and someone to help you prepare for assessment centres and application processes. I also recommend chatting with dog handlers in your area, getting to know who works alongside your teams.

You can also get involved by attending our training days to see how the dogs are trained, volunteering to help with passive drug training, and participating in various other activities. It is a privilege to work for the department and be able to work with the dogs. It is a 24/7 job, but it is so rewarding, and I hope to be able to do it for the rest of my career.

—

To find out more about a policing career with TVP – including the realities of working on a response, initial training, and applying to become a Police Officer, please visit our Police Officer page.