The Sunshine Coast Dog Squad has welcomed two new Police Dogs Odin and Jackal to the team, as a critical capability in locating and arresting offenders.
PD Odin is a 3-year-old German Shepherd that has been teamed up with Senior Constable Daniel Hayward. PD Jackal is 15 months old and has been teamed up with the Acting Officer in Charge of the Sunshine Coast Dog Squad, Acting Sergeant Trent Reynolds, taking over from PD Enzo who was medically retired.
PD Jackal is the son of current serving Sunshine Coast PD Astro and will join his father on the squad alongside PDs Buzz and Denver, who became operational in early 2025.
Acting Sergeant Reynolds said PD Jackal's first operational shift was on 29 July, and it's not the first time a father and son have served on the Sunshine Coast Dog Squad.
"My previous work dog PD Darth was actually the son of the work dog he was replacing, PD Oakley. It's a unique dynamic," he said.
"PD Astro has been used in our breeding program four times and the J litter is the first to hit the road. Alongside PD Jackal on the Sunshine Coast, we also have PD Jaws in Brisbane with PD Jasper and PD Jax in Logan."
In the first 12 months of PDs Astro, Buzz and Denver becoming operational, the Sunshine Coast Dog Squad has responded to 1667 calls for service, resulting in 138 arrests and 124 tracking deployments.
Each handler dedicates some time each shift to ongoing training of their dogs in tracking, obedience and criminal work, when not required for operational support.
"Much like a Police Recruit, our Police Dogs will learn most through exposure to real life policing," Acting Sergeant Reynolds said.
"In particular for our younger novice dogs that have just entered the operational space like PD Jackal, they will undertake daily training for a number of years until the dog reaches that optimal age of four to seven-years-old when they are at the peak of their working lives."
PD Jackal and PD Astro also feature in the 2027 QPS Dog Squad Calendar, which launched on 4 August.
Funds from the sales of the calendars go towards multiple charities, including Sunshine Coast-based not-for-profit SalTy Souls which provides surf therapy programs for vulnerable youth.
Vision notes:
0:00 to 0:31 – PD Buzz track deployment at Dunning Street, Palmwoods on October 26, 2025
0:32 to 0:58 – PD Odin track deployment at Urambi Ct, Mountain Creek on December 12, 2025
0:59 to 2:38 – PD Astro track deployment at Steve Irwin Way, Beerburrum on January 27, 2025
2:39 to end – PD Jackal training tracks in Forest Glen and Baringa
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