Description
As you can see, the police officer wearing this armband is a dog handler – also known as a “dog master” in the past. The police dog in the armband is a typical police dog in the eyes of Hong Kong residents – the Alsatian, or German Shepherd.
The Police Dog Unit (PDU) was established in Hong Kong in 1949 with the initial purchase of four Alsatians. As a large number of Mainland residents flocked to Hong Kong after World War II, police dogs were purchased by the Force for border patrol. The practice was so effective that the PDU was gradually expanded.
The PDU headquarters was first set up at the New Territories Police Depot in Fanling. In 1956, the PDU Headquarters was relocated to Pat Heung Police Station in Yuen Long. The headquarters was subsequently moved to Ping Shan Police Station in 1965, and small kennels were started at other police stations too. In 1995, the PDU headquarters was moved to the former British Army Barracks at Queen’s Hill Camp in Fanling and then to the provisional headquarters at Cheung Yip Street in Kowloon Bay in 2001. The new PDU Headquarters at Sha Ling, North District, New Territories was completed in 2003, with an office compound, canine medical surgeries, and simulated training grounds.
Today, there are over 100 dogs in service and the breeds of dogs in service are becoming more diverse.
The Alsatian initially introduced is a loyal, brave and imposing partner for police patrols. However, in the search for drugs and explosives, the more sensitive Spaniel or Labrador Retriever does a better job.
In recent years, the PDU has introduced the Belgian Malinois as a patrol dog. It is a medium-sized dog, and more athletic than the Alsatian. Apart from being loyal and friendly, the Malinois is also very intelligent, obedient, and easy to train.
