Longest serving police dog puts his paws up and looks to retirement

The counties longest serving drugs, cash and weapons police dogs handed in his badge this weekend and looked forward to putting his paws up in retirement.
PD BrewsterPD Brewster
PD Brewster

After more than 10 years service, Police Dog Brewster of hte Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire (BCH) Dog Unit said goodbye to crime fighting.

PD Brewster, a Spaniel who has now reached 13 years of age, originally came from North Yorkshire where his owners decided to gift him to the police after realising he had too much energy for them.

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Within three weeks of taking Brewster on, the naturally inquisitive canine was fully trained and licensed as a drugs, cash and weapons detection dog.

The springy Spaniel, who has two different coloured eyes, began active service in August 2005 and has been on patrol with his handler ever since.

Brewster is one of the most well-known dogs from the unit, having worked across the three counties and beyond, providing mutual aid to other police forces including Norfolk and Suffolk.

Brewster’s specialist nose, which was trained to detect various types of drugs in vehicles, buildings and open spaces, was utilised at a number of incidents and warrants over the years, some of which made it into the press.

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His keen sense of smell was always welcomed by officers as he successfully located items that may have had otherwise been missed due to how well they had been hidden.

As well as tackling crime, Brewster and his handler, PC Dave Pert, also helped promote the police and spread crime prevention messages, as they made appearances at schools and clubs.

The Spaniel’s retirement will be spent in company with his handler where he will be able to enjoy all of his favourite past-times including chasing tennis balls, swimming in rivers, eating dog treats and napping.

Head of the BCH Dog Unit, Inspector Mark Farrant, said: “Brewster has truly been an outstanding asset not only to our team but to numerous officers across the three counties.

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“Hs super nose has undoubtedly contributed to the arrest and prosecution of a large number of people. His acute sense of smell has led to the seizure of drugs and cash during warrants and operations, saving a lot of time and resources in the process.

“We are very grateful to Brewster for his service, as he and PC Pert formed such a formidable duo during their time together, and hope he will now enjoy a well-earned relaxing and healthy retirement.”