Rescue puppy recruited into police force

Maverick is a four-month-old Belgian Malinois

A rescue dog is being put through his paces after he was adopted by Nottinghamshire Police.

The force said it recruited Maverick, a four-month-old Belgian Malinois, from the Dogs Trust, which has provided it with three other animals in the past.

He will spend the next year training with an experienced dog handler before being assigned for work.

Sgt Nicholas Dachtler, from Nottinghamshire Police's dog unit, said officers "are very optimistic about his future".

“Finding the right candidates for training is never easy and can also be very expensive," he said.

“Traditionally dogs have been selectively bred in order to be sold into working environments, but there really is no guarantee they will make the required grade.

“So, in recent years we’ve opened up some additional routes for animals that may otherwise have passed us by – and the results have been exceptional."

The Dogs Trust describes Belgian Malinois as "high-energy" and needing "lots of exercise".

Nottinghamshire Police said they are typically "an extremely challenging breed to take on".

Sgt Dachtler said Maverick's past before he was abandoned is unknown, but said he will have "an exciting future ahead of him" with the force.

"I am sure he will enjoy a much better life than he would otherwise have had," he said.

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