Six new four-legged police staff will graduate with their handlers from the New Zealand Police Dog Section in Patrol course 2016/02 on Thursday 16 June.
Handler, Constable Chris Polglase with Police Dog Lomu is a first time handler from Rotorua. He’s been with Police for 13 years, previously working general duties and Team Policing in Auckland and Hamilton. Constable Polglase also worked in Road Policing before obtaining a handler position. Prior to joining the police, Constable Polglase was an Army engineer for three years. "The key lesson I learnt in the Army is that in order to effectively protect a community you are trying to serve, you need to make every effort to understand that community cultures. If you lose the trust of the people you're trying to protect you will not be able to do your job. The Army gave me a solid work ethic which I've brought into Police, along with professionalism and sense of personal pride. I am looking forward to getting back on the street with my new mate Lomu,” he said.
Graduating today also is Handler Senior Constable Lyal Bayliss and Police Dog Nox. Constable Bayliss is an operational handler retraining from Christchurch and has been in the Police for 18 years and 11 of those years in Dog Section. He has had two previous operational dogs, Duke and Brock. Duke is now retired and living with Constable Bayliss’ parents however Duke received a New Zealand Police Bronze Merit Award for apprehending an armed offender after assaulting police with a knife. Brock is still operational and was involved in the WINZ Ashburton homicide. He also received a Gold Merit Award for apprehending an armed offender after presenting a shotgun at police.
Handler Constable Bradley Smith and Police Dog Kona are also graduating. Constable Smith is a first time handler from New Plymouth, but has been in the Police for five years with one year in the Taranaki Dog Section. Constable Smith is AOS qualified.
Handler, Constable Andrew Savage and Police Dog Kash also graduate today and while Constable Savage is a first time handler from Rotorua he’s been with Police for five years, previously stationed at Auckland City. Constable Savage moved to Rotorua in November 2014 to take up a handler’s position.
First time Handler Constable Grant Burrows from Auckland and Police Dog Mono are graduating today and in July this year, Constable Burrows will have been in Police for nine years. His previous experience includes Tactical Options Trainer, Road Policing, Public Safety Team, Enquiries Section and the Watchhouse. Constable Burrows has received a District Commanders Certificate of Recognition for work done surrounding finger printing and photographing offenders under Section 33 of the Policing Act 2008.
Last but by no means least, Handler Senior Constable Blair Spalding and Police Dog Rush. Senior Constable Spalding is an operational handler retraining from Hamilton. Rush is his second dog. Yogi, Blair’s first dog, is now retired and living at home. He and Yogi were AOS trained, and received the Commandants Cup for best trainee dog team on course and also received the Erridge Cup in 2009 for the best dog team in their first year operational. Senior Constable Spalding has been in the police for 19 years with a lot of his time spent in the Waikato. To the Waikato Community he’s a hero. He’s known as a top police dog handler and AOS member who, with his previous dog Yogi, has caught hundreds of offenders.
When he got the news about a life threatening condition in 2012 he vowed to do everything possible to fight it for the sake of his family. He was rushed into surgery after doctors found a seven-centimetre tumour, called an oligodendroglioma in his brain. Two centimetres of the growth was removed in the operation, and he had chemotherapy but, because of the location of the tumour, doctors recommended a further neurosurgical operation to extend his life.
The operation wasn’t available in New Zealand. So he, his wife and young daughter travelled to Hanover, Germany, for the surgery - an expensive trip that was covered by fund-raising from his community, colleagues and New Zealanders he didn’t even know. He’s now in remission. "It's a real honour to be here again, he says. I look forward to getting out on the street with Rush and putting what we’ve learned together into practice. Policing is about doing something that allows you to go home at the end of every shift, content that you have done your part to make New Zealand a safer place, I am also thrilled to be back at it and healthy too," he says.
Certificate of Police Service and a certificate from The New Zealand Dog Section: Presentation to Steve Rider.
Steve joined the Police in November of 1993 and in January of 1997 he joined the Wellington Dog Section and trained to become an operational Dog Handler. In October of 2006 Steve was promoted as Regional Dog Trainer and in June 2009 joined the Dog Training Centre as an Instructor. After a one year leave of absence, he resigned from Police and joined the Corrections Department as a Corrections Dog Trainer.
The 2016/02 graduation will take place at The New Zealand Police Dog Section Training Centre, Dante Road, Trentham on Thursday 16 June at 1.00pm. The ceremony will be attended by The Minister of Police, the Hon Judith Collins, and Acting Police Commissioner Glenn Dunbier along with other members of the police and their families.
ENDS
Media intending to be present at the graduation should plan to be onsite by 12.30pm.
Please direct all enquiries or intentions to attend to: Jillian.Reid@police.govt.nz or text 021 947 003.
