Sergeant Adam McBean is based at the Inverness Police Dog Unit. His dog is called Fergie.
A day in the life
QWhat's your typical day like?
A I am fortunate to be the team Sergeant, so whilst I am a dog handler, I also supervise the other dog handlers on the team. This means I oversee the development and welfare of the handlers, and ensure they get adequate training from the team instructor. I also deploy as a dog handler whenever possible, resulting in varied days, ranging from missing person searches in very rural locations in the Highlands of Scotland, to dealing with violent situations involving weapons.
QHow long does training take to become a police dog handler?
A After being posted into the dog unit, each handler completes a 13-week Initial General Purpose Police Dog Course. This ensures they learn the fundamental skills to become a dog handler and be able to look after their General Purpose Police Dog.
QWhat made you want to become a police dog handler?
A Not long after joining the Police, I watched a dog handler do some training and I could see the incredible bond he had with his dog. Not only did this amaze me, but it showed me what could be achieved with hard work. The fact that dogs can smell things significantly better than humans (see p28) amazed me, and I started doing short secondments to the dog unit early in my career. It’s something I always worked towards, hoping I would be successful one day.
QWhat qualities do you look for in a dog?
AWe look for dogs who are comfortable in new environments, and show no signs of nervousness or fear. A dog with a high degree of drive will desire to search or complete an exercise for a specific reward. This might be searching for drugs/cash/firearms, or searching for a hidden person or someone who has run away. A dog with confidence is ideal.
