1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: It does seem like the Dog Operations Unit have been 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: deployed a lot recently, arresting a prison Eskpe this week, 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: as well as a group of offenders in Berry Springs 4 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,079 Speaker 1: in relation to a car theft. I believe there was 5 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: another incident as well where the Dog Operations Unit were 6 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: of assistance and an offender ended up being caught on the. 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: Roof of a of a home. 8 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: Now joining me in the studio right now to talk 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: a little bit more about the Dog Option Unit and 10 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: the wonderful work that they are doing is Sergeant Stephen Dalrymple, 11 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. Morning, lovely to have you in 12 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: the studio, and of course Senior Constable Matthew Hohagen, good 13 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: morning to you. 14 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: And we have also got patrol dog Dras. Good morning Dracs. 15 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: I don't know if he's going to us. It's not 16 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 2: going to talk for me, is he. 17 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: Oh? 18 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 2: There we go. Good morning to Dras. 19 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: I tell you what to those out there listening this morning, 20 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 1: Drax is an absolutely beautiful looking dog. 21 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: He's glorious, Stephen. He is a German Shepherd, isn't he? 22 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, he's a very large German shepherd. And I 23 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: tell you what I would not want to be on 24 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: the wrong side of drax. 25 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 2: No, not many doo, now can you both. 26 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: I know that there's been quite a few situations where 27 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: the patrol dogs have been required in recent days and weeks, 28 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: I mean ongoing, like it's something that they are obviously 29 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: doing all the time, catching criminals and catching those that 30 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: are doing the wrong thing. But this week or the 31 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: last week or so, it seems as though it's been 32 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: a really busy one for our patrol dogs and for 33 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: you guys of late. 34 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 3: I think it's been busy all year pretty much realistically. 35 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: Now that we've got three patrol dogs operating in Down 36 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 3: and there's Drags, there's Wedge, and now Daily, I think 37 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: we come to attention because we're out there more and more, 38 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 3: whereas previously we were struggling for numbers and things like that. 39 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 3: We've got another fellow that's due to graduate in September 40 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 3: with Arnie. Yep, he should be out in the road 41 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 3: come mid September, So yeah, we'll have a full complement 42 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 3: of four of us. 43 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 2: Is Arnie a big units Daily's brother? 44 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, so similar size. 45 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 1: And now Daily's just sort of just graduated or just 46 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: finished training. Tell us about his training, tell us what 47 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: he had to do to, you know, to get to 48 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: the point where he is out there apprehending offenders. 49 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. Well, it's been a long, a long process where 50 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 4: you had him from eight weeks of age and he's 51 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 4: now just over eighteen months and he's hit the ground 52 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 4: run and so it's been the best part of two 53 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 4: years and we're both just super excited to be able 54 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 4: to get out there and actually contribute to our team 55 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 4: and also to the community. 56 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: And it's amazing work. 57 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: The work that you guys as handlers and also the 58 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: dogs do incredibly helpful. I would suspect, you know, say, 59 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: when Strikeforce Trident is working to apprehend, you know, people 60 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 1: around property offenses, and sometimes it can be a little 61 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: bit difficult if those offenders try to escape. Yeah. 62 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 3: Correct, So as e Verona's tried and as our go 63 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 3: to property offending team, they look after most of you 64 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: or all your unlawful entries and your most of the 65 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 3: cars that are stolen around and there's been quite a 66 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 3: few of them, especially the high lux rity in the 67 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 3: Langfres variety of late. We generally work arm in arm 68 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: with them or handing Paul. Yeah, let's call it and 69 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 3: when people are on the run, you know, we do 70 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 3: whatever we can to try and apprehend them and. 71 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:26,399 Speaker 2: Bring them forward. 72 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, we'd heard a little bit earlier 73 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: in the week, or I think it was yesterday a 74 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: situation where I think it might have been Wedge who'd 75 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: been instrumental in helping to offend or to apprehended offender 76 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: who'd ended up up on a roof. The handler, I 77 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: think ended up having to obviously apprehend that person, but 78 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: very much with the assistance of Wedge. 79 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 3: That's correct, That's correct. By the time the handler actually 80 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 3: you put the dog in the down and he climbed 81 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 3: up to see whether anyone was on the roof as 82 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,360 Speaker 3: he was going up the roof, they were coming down 83 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 3: the roof, and then they tracked him across the road 84 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 3: towards a bowling club and located to very scared little people. 85 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: Well, this is the thing, you know, the dogs they 86 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: are amazing dogs. You know, they're glorious looking dogs. But 87 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: once they turn it on, they certainly know how to 88 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: do their work. Like, how difficult is it in terms 89 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: of that training. Because it's something I've spoken to you 90 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: guys about before, where in years gone by, the police 91 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: dogs sort of weren't so friendly when you know, when they. 92 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 2: Are out and about. Whereas it can see from drags 93 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 2: this morning, he's happy as to be in here in 94 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:31,679 Speaker 2: the studio. 95 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: But then once it comes time to actually, you know, 96 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: to apprehend someone, I'm assuming that his personality changes to 97 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: some degree. 98 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 3: Our methodology has changed significantly. We used to have the 99 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 3: land sharks is what they used to call them, which 100 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 3: would go and by and anything any time. Yep. That 101 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 3: doesn't really instill any confidence in the community because everyone 102 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 3: sees you are scared of you and things like that. 103 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 3: We're not about scaring people and things like that. We're 104 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 3: just about taking people into custody as safely as we can. 105 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: Now, can you tell me what's it like being a 106 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: handler of these dogs? Do you have to be super fit? 107 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 1: Have you got to be able to run with them. 108 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: To keep up. 109 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 3: Because I'm carrying a couple of. 110 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, there is certainly a level of fitness that you 111 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 4: have to maintain, and you have to keep up with 112 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 4: the dogs, and you don't want them getting away from you, 113 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 4: that's for sure. 114 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. Now, Drax has got a green toy there. 115 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: What is that? 116 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 3: That's his tug? That's his reward for the ultimate reward 117 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 3: for him will be that yep, as opposed to previously. 118 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 3: It might be a buy during an apprehension and things 119 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 3: like that, but at the end of the day, he 120 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 3: loves a game with me and this toy. 121 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 1: Now, how valuable are the three police dogs that we've 122 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: got in terms of being able to do your jobs? 123 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 3: Priceless? Absolutely, Well, that's a little bit of vice there, 124 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 3: but as far as i'm can turn their priceless because 125 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 3: they can de escalate a violent situation pretty quickly. As 126 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 3: we saw with Hoges and daily to day there was 127 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 3: an eskp not saying that he was violent towards us 128 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: at all, but he's attitude quickly changed from wanting to 129 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 3: run away to I'll be submissive because of Peel and 130 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 3: simply because the dog was presented. 131 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, and we've spoken before as well about that incredible 132 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: situation where there was an elderly woman who'd been lost 133 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: near the waterfront. 134 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: This was a year or so ago. 135 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: Now, and I believe it was Weidge who'd helped to 136 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,239 Speaker 1: find her. So, you know, not even just in apprehending people, 137 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: but the search and rescue skills I would imagine as 138 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: well are quite amazing. 139 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, the dogs are very good at what we do 140 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: or what they do. Sorry, we spent a lot of 141 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 3: time training and things like that. So they just with 142 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 3: the dog with the correct amount of drive, it actually 143 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 3: ends up being relatively easy. So I'm probably taking credit 144 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 3: for something that is a natural. 145 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: No, I mean, obviously they do require a lot of training, 146 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: how like, So it takes about eighteen months really to 147 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: train them to get to this point. 148 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 3: Well, it depends again on the maturity of the dog. 149 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 3: Arnie's a little bit slow with his maturity to Dailies. 150 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 3: That's why Daily is out in the road now. So 151 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 3: you've got to recognize what the dog is putting out 152 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 3: and what is capable of the time. Because the other 153 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: thing is you don't want to throw a young dog 154 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 3: into a situation that is going to overwhelm him and 155 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 3: have him have an adverse reaction from the dog where 156 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 3: he goes, oh, you know what, I don't want to 157 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 3: work anymore. This is not my thing. And especially if 158 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 3: you're at that eighteen month mark or twenty month mark, 159 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 3: now that Matt's out in the road, if he comes 160 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: across the situation, he might have to de escalate it 161 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 3: by removing himself from the situation so that there's no 162 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 3: adverse reaction to the dog. 163 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 2: And what is the working lifespan of our police dogs. 164 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 3: We try and get five years of working life out 165 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 3: of the dog. It's very difficult to climatic conditions up here, 166 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 3: so you find history has shown us that we don't 167 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: generally get that. The only one that we've had working 168 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 3: here from Godaway was Lupo yeap, my old dog. He's 169 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 3: still going luckily enough, but yeah, he got six years 170 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 3: of working life. 171 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, and they work incredibly hard. What a good boy 172 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: Drax is being over there, Hey, just sitting keeping an 173 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: eye on you, Matthew. 174 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 2: Making sure that everyone's saving. Now, tell me, do the 175 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: dogs have a special diet? 176 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: Black book is. 177 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 3: Without selling the brand, but that's pretty much what were 178 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 3: dogs sing? 179 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, yep, Well, we really appreciate you bringing drags in 180 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 1: this morning. I know that you all work incredibly hard, 181 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: but so the dog in it. At the moment, three 182 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: three of our patrol dogs, but that's going to increase 183 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: to four, correct, Yeah, amazing stuff. I think the work 184 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: they do is amazing. I think the training that happens 185 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: now as well, the way that they're able to interact 186 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: with the community when they're not sort of you know, 187 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 1: switched on to apprehending someone is phenomenal. You know, the 188 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: way that he can just come in here, be friendly 189 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 1: with everybody, but then when he's got to do his job, 190 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: he knows he's got to do his job. It's amazing stuff. 191 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 2: Thank you so much to all three of you for 192 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 2: coming in this morning. 193 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: Sergeant Stephen Dalrymple of course, and Senior Constable Matthew ho 194 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: hagen Bush also patrol dog Drax. 195 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,719 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for being in the studio with 196 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: us this morning. Thank you. 197 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: It is just after ten thirty, and we will make 198 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: sure that we get a photo with Drax as well, 199 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,199 Speaker 1: because I know all of you probably wanting to see Drax.