HE HAS been instilling terror in criminals across the county for more than seven years, but every dog has its day to retire.

A loyal member of the Sussex Police force, Police Dog Dutch has spent the majority of his years taking a bite out of crime

Protecting the public and terrifying criminals, it is all in a day’s work for Dutch and his best friend and handler PC Andy Dunkling.

PC Dunkling, who revealed he often speaks to his partner while on a long night shift, said: “They’re called when the job can’t be done by something or someone else.

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PC Dunkling and PD Dutch outside Burgess Hill Police Station 

“You spend ten hours a day with them at work and then you go home with them, so you spend more time with them than you do with your wife.

“The bond that you get with your police dog is something I just can’t describe, but they are certainly not pets.”

Reaching the standards required of a service dog is no mean feat.

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PD Dutch has been taking a bite out of crime for seven years

Apart from the initial indoctrination, PC Dunkling and Dutch spend one day month and one week a year training together.

The partners-in-tackling-crime are often tasked with finding missing people without the need of a helicopter, tracking down people who run from a crime scene, and maintaining public order.

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Speaking about a recent incident, PC Dunkling said: “There were four officers, including me, surrounded by 80 teenagers who were intent on stopping us from arresting their friend.

“Dutch was deployed and all those people were pushed back to the other side of the road because no one is going to come near him. Police dogs are absolutely vital in that way. They often do the work of 20 officers.”

He added: “The thing I love most about being police officer is spending every day with my best mate. In what other job can you drive around with blue lights and sirens on?”

Dutch, who currently lives in kennels at PC Dunkling’s house, is set for retirement after seven years of duty.

The crimefighting canine will be living out the rest of his days at PC Dunkling’s house and will “become a pet for the first time in his life”

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He is set to be a pampered pooch after his years of service, with PC Dunking revealing his wife has already been on Amazon looking for beds.

He said:“Just because they’re police dogs it doesn’t mean they don’t get a lot of love.

“When he retires I will show him just how much I love him and just how proud I am of his seven-year service.”

PC Dunkling joined the police in 2007, following in the footsteps of his father who retired from the force in the same year.

He said: “You see people at the worst time of their lives. That’s the only time the police are called.

“If you can make the worst time of someone’s life that little bit better, that’s great.

“In my opinion, there’s no better job than the police force.”

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The Sussex police officer also had a message for the general public and added: “I was always taught as a kid, if you’re ever in trouble, find a police officer. That still stands today.

“In the modern age, the police are often misused.

“Police are there for crimes, they are there to deal with crimes.

“We are more and more being used as a medical service and social service.

“We are called out to things because we have a duty to the public.

“We will attend but really there are other services out there who may be more suited to a particular circumstance.

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“The police force is already under huge strain and these calls should really be going to the relevant departments.

“It could be absolutely anything that we are called to.

“We could be called because somebody has a problem with their neighbour, for instance.

“They call police for something like that and will say anything to get us there.

“But that should really be environmental health.

“Before you pick up the phone and call the police, please think is it the police you need or is it someone else.”