The Police Dog.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 February 1911, Page 4

The Police Dog.

Perhaps Major E. H. Richardson has had wider experience than any other man in the British Isles of the value of dogs in warfare and for tho detection of orime. Their utility has been for many years his special study, and in. a book, published by Messrs Blackwood and Sone, "War, Police and Watdh Dogs," he gives tho result of his practical investigation of the subject. The Continental police offioi ils have dovoted much attention to the use of dogs, notably in Ghw.t. where 69 animals are doing duty, atii* in Germany, whwo tlio op •» l>. n >i" the police is that not *v> lj havo the police doge decreased crime, but their presence lias a. strong moral effect, and bad sdharhcters avoid towns where police dogs aro kept. In such towns, indeed, petty theft lias in many cases almost and a greater sense of security is given to the inhabitants.

The German police officials also are making a careful study of tho utility of dogs. Tho municipal authorities of Berlin voted n sum > of £1350 in February last for increasing tho dog-training establishment of thai city. Over 600 towns in Gormany, at present, use these ti'ogs, and Major Richardson says that in the large cities crime lias fallen on an avorago v 35 per cent, since their introduction.

The police in England have not yet shown much desire to fall into line with the Continental nations. A start has, however, been mado by the Berkshire Constabulary, who arc using one dog on night diuiy at Windsor, where ho has given great satisfaction.

The major corrects one wrong impression of the capabilities of dogs in criminal tracking. Ho says: "If tho dog is brought to the scene soon enough after the crime is committed, he has certainly track, ed down criminals when all other means had failed. The wild tales, however, of criminals being tracked days after the crime was committed, or through crowded streets, may be stvlod unvarnished lies."

The samo qualities in the dings which are useful to the policeman have iheon adapted to the neetls of soldiers in time of battle. Dogs were used to great extent in the recent trouble footweon Austria-Hun-gary nnd Turkey. In the evening, says Major Richardson, after tho wounded had been collected, irtoans wore heard from tho rocks, but it was only by the aid of dogs attached to the regiment that the injured who had been overlooked were found.

Tlio major's hook is more than a history of tho utility of dogs for official purposes; it is £ plea for their increased use in this country, and will ho widely road. It contains some admirable illustrations.