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The
four day event saw PC Mick Leigh and his Malinois breed dog Blitz
competing against teams from 18 other forces in the UK.
PC
Leigh and Blitz, who had previously won the South West and Wales
Police Dog Trials to go forward for the national competition, came
in a very respectable eighth place.
PC
Harry Cook, who is responsible for training in the force's dog section,
said:
We are very proud of Mick and Blitz for the performance they gave
at the national trials.
They
are a credit to themselves and to the Constabulary. 
Tough
assessment
The
competitors in the National Dog Trials were assessed on agility
and obedience by nationally qualified judges.
The
tests reflected the work that the dogs naturally perform while on
duty, including body and property searches and chasing suspects.
Thirty
teams of police dogs and handlers from 19 forces took part, all
of whom had clinched first or second place in the various regional
finals held across the country. PC Leigh said:
Blitz is a very young dog who has only been operational since last
August.
Considering
his age he has had a lot of success, not only in competitions but
also in normal police work. For instance, on his first operational
job he successfully tracked an offender.
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A
Gloucestershire police dog handler and his canine companion have taken
a top 10 position in the National Police Dog Trials, hosted by the
Metropolitan Police.
