ORDERS GIVEN BY RADIO

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20740, 25 February 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

ORDERS GIVEN BY RADIO

Police Dogs’ Demonstration in Sydney

The police Alsatian Zoe demonsfrati ed that she could take orders bv wirejess and carry them out. says a Sydney paper. i Under the critical eyes of the Com'missioner of Police (Mr Mac Kay) and .the Deputy Commissioner (Mr Lynch), 'at the Alexandria Police Depot, she appeared with a small wireless set and Joud-speaker strapped on her body. ! Constable Dcnbolm sent messages to jher from a garage 150 yards away. Zoe beard his voice purring from the loud-speaker at her side. She looked round at the set. picked up the messaere and promptly climbed a ladder to a platform, and then descended on the other side. No Water-Waster She then waited a moment or two, received her next message, interpreted jit. perfectly, turned on a tap. had a ! drink of water, then turned the tap off again. I She trotted round on the grass till ja new message came through and then fired a revolver by tugging at a cord attached to the trigger. “That shows what can be done by

.kindness,” said Mr Mac Kay. t Zoe cocked an ear. picked up an- ' ! other message, carried a billycan to a j tub of water, dipped the can in the 1 ! tub and filled it, then carried it away. : Whole Ritual ! I i Back on her stool. Zoe correctly in- j j terpreted radio directions to sit up on ■ her hind legs or sit down. | Several time she repeated the whole > ; ritual, turning the tap on and off. and I l firing several revolver shots, which j I set the other police dogs scampering I I off after an imaginary burglar, j Although once or twice a little con- j j fused by the modifind voice of Con- j stable Denholm in the receiver, the ; j dogs always interpreted the order cor- j Irectly. The harness also slowed down j I her movements a fraction. 1 Officers were pleased with the demonstration and Constable Denholm is I i confident that, with practice Zoe will 1 do better and at greater distance. j j The purpose of the wireless set is j to direct a dog from a distance, when j Jf has bailed up a suspect. At pres- I ent it waits for an order or a sign.