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West Midlands Police is celebrating another successful year at the Crufts dog show, where visitors had the opportunity to meet some of the force’s four-legged assets.
The world’s largest dog show provided an excellent opportunity for West Midlands Police puppies to experience the different smells and sounds as part of their environmental training.
One of the highlights of this year’s show for West Midlands Police was seeing one of their long-serving officers recognised with a lifetime achievement award. PC Hopley, who retires next month, and his retired police dog, Stark, were presented with the award by the Duchess of York on behalf of the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA).
But PC Hopley and Stark weren’t the only West Midlands personnel to be recognised for their service. Dave Raymond, West Midlands Police Breed Scheme Manager, was also presented with an award by Crufts for his dedication and commitment to the show for the last 20 years. Meanwhile, PC Sue Cheek and police dogs Viper and Chase, who retire this month, were given a round of applause.
“It’s an honour to attend Crufts each year and represent the force. The event is also such a great opportunity to meet lots of people and showcase the work our Dog Unit do.
“It’s fantastic that Dave has been recognised for his hard work at Crufts, we couldn’t do this each year without him. And the public always love seeing Mr Angry.
“We are so proud of all of our officers, dogs and staff who take part in Crufts.
“Our dogs and their handlers put their lives at risk every day to protect the public and so much goes into making them some of the best in the country. We couldn’t do this job without all of our officers, staff and volunteers. They are what makes our dog unit so special.”
Chief Inspector Dan Lowe from West Midlands Police.
In May, West Midlands Police will be hosting the National Police Dog Trials at Tally Ho. Keep an eye on the force’s website for more information on this great event.
In related news, we reported yesterday on how a retired police dog was crowned Kennel Club Hero Dog at Crufts 2025. Eight-year-old German Shepherd Baloo and her handler Mandy Chapman received a cheque for £5,000 from The Kennel Club Charitable Trust, which will be donated to their chosen charity – the Essex Retired Police Dog Fund.
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