A RETIRED police dog is swapping sport stadiums for sports halls after becoming a force's first community dog.
The nine-year-old Cocker Spaniel named Russell spent his working days keeping the public safe and will now accompany a non-operational officer at Northumbria Police to a range of regional events.
Chief Inspector Sam Rennison, believes Russell will play an important role in helping to reach out to vulnerable individuals.
He said: “Russell is the newest member of our community engagement team which works with a diverse section of the community in Sunderland and South Tyneside,”
“He recently retired from the dog section as an explosive detection dog, but we’ve decided to adopt him in southern area command to work alongside our community engagement officers.
“We see Russell as having a vital role in our community engagement team. It’s a proven fact that dogs can sometimes provide comfort and happiness."
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