Police, Defence and Pacific enforcement agencies welcome new dog teams
Deputy Police Commissioner Jill Rogers has acknowledged ten freshly trained handlers and their dogs at a ceremony held at the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham this afternoon.
Four teams of Police Patrol Dogs, three teams of Drug Detector Dogs and three teams of Explosive Detector Dogs lined up to graduate.
The teams from all around New Zealand and across the Pacific celebrated the occasion alongside the Police executive in front of whānau and friends.
Also in attendance were Her Excellency Ms Kairangi Samuela the Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, officials from New Zealand Customs Service, Cook Islands Customs, Samoa Customs, Tonga Police, and Colonel Paul Curry from the New Zealand Army.
Customs Deputy Chief Executive International and Governance, Joe Cannon, congratulated the new detector dog graduates and welcomed the enhanced enforcement capability for Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
"Congratulations to all the handlers graduating today. This is a significant achievement, and you should be proud of the hard work and commitment it represents.
"Detector dog operations play an important frontline role in combatting the growing threat of Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC), which is having a significant impact on the economies, health and security of Pacific Island states.
"Today's Pacific-based graduates will join the 21 New Zealand-trained detector dogs and handlers already serving across the Pacific, who actively prevent illegal drugs from entering their communities.
"This graduation marks a new chapter for our partners at Cook Islands Customs Service, who had their first detector dog handler graduate today. I am pleased they will continue to receive support from New Zealand through our long-running Pacific Detector Dog Programme."
Alan Inkpen, NZDF Military Working Dogs Capability Manager says, "It's great to be able to mark what is a significant milestone for our Explosive Detector Dogs and their handlers, because they're such an important capability for the NZDF.
So many days, weeks and months of specialised training goes into ensuring these teams are ready whenever called upon, and our increased training and coursing alongside other agencies including New Zealand Police is providing some great opportunities going forward."
Inspector Todd Southall National Coordinator Police Dogs says, "These graduates have worked very hard to obtain this operational qualification and it's good to see them today on parade.
They will be heading into their various roles in the Pacific, and around New Zealand, very shortly. "We are also grateful to our foster families. Sarah Nicholson and her family are acknowledged today for raising and caring for Wynter as a puppy."
Todd also thanked the following course instructors and managers:
Instructors: Sergeants Josh Robertson, and Graham Hawkins, New Zealand Police for Police Patrol Dog training.
Instructors: Sergeants Matt Fage and Mike Robinson, New Zealand Police for Pacific Narcotics Detector Dog training.
Course Manager Sergeant Austin Hutton and course instructors Corporal Ronan Polglase; Corporal Aidan Cornwall; Lance Corporal Rigel Blanchet; Lance Corporal Conor Woods for 2nd Field Squadron and 2nd Engineer Regiment RNZE New Zealand for Defence Force Explosive Detector Dog training.
Graduating Dog Teams:
New Zealand Police Patrol Dogs
Constable Vinnie Gibson from Hamilton, Waikato District with Hank.
Constable Adam Johannsen from Auckland with Alie.
Constable Shaun Hart from Whakatane, Bay of Plenty District with Tazz.
Constable Andrew An, from Auckland with Feliks.
Pacific Narcotic Detector Dogs
Customs Officer Vainetutai (Tai) David from Cook Islands Customs with Wynter.
Constable Sosaia Pangi from Tonga Police with Bala.
Customs Officer Benjamin Milo, from Samoa Customs with Willow.
Explosive Detector Dogs: Graduating from the New Zealand Army Explosive Detection Dog Handlers Course
Sapper Grace Benshaw, 2nd Field Squadron, 2nd Engineer Regiment with Pacer.
Sapper Corin Parsons, 2nd Field Squadron, 2nd Engineer Regiment with Steph.
Lance Corporal Jayson Binns, 2nd Field Squadron, 2nd Engineer Regiment with Rebel.
