Venue chosen for memorial to 'hero' police dog

Finn the police dog was badly injured by an armed suspect as he protected his handler

A memorial to a police dog who saved his handler's life will be placed in a park in his home county, his owner has confirmed.

German shepherd Finn - also known as Police Dog (PD) Finn - suffered near-fatal injuries in 2016 when he confronted an armed suspect in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, while protecting his handler, PC Dave Wardell.

PC Wardell - now retired - was stabbed, but maintained that without Finn's intervention, he could have been more seriously wounded.

Finn recovered, continued working briefly, but died in 2023 at the age of 14, and after a fundraising campaign, plans are now under way for a permanent statue to honour the dog.

The pair had been inseparable for eight years before the incident nearly tore them apart

In the early hours of 5 October 2016, PC Wardell - then serving with Hertfordshire Constabulary - and his German shepherd, Finn, were looking for a suspected armed robber who had held up a taxi driver at gunpoint.

The chase ended in an encounter which left Finn seriously wounded, and PC Wardell with a stab wound.

The assailant was jailed and both Finn and PC Wardell recovered, but the incident left its mark on both.

Since his own retirement, Mr Wardell has campaigned not only for a memorial to the dog who saved his life - and all other service animals - but for more recognition of all service animals.

A new law nicknamed "Finn's Law", came into effect in 2019, making it harder for those who harm service animals to claim they were acting in self-defence.

And Mr Wardell's campaign for a memorial raised about £40,000, meaning plans are now in place for something to commemorate Finn - and others like him.

Finn was seriously injured, protecting his handler from a youth with a knife

"If you've had a special bond with a dog - or any animal - you'll know," said Mr Wardell.

"I wouldn't be here today, talking to you, if it wasn't for him," he said, speaking about the new memorial.

"This is his legacy - this, and Finn's Law."

Mr Wardell said he had now found the right sculptor to bring Finn's legacy to life, but said it was "not appropriate" to release any details of the artist or the exact location at this time.

"This is heartfelt and very important, and it's going to live well beyond my years," he said.

"It will give people the opportunity to go and pay their respects and hear Finn's story.

"It'll give future generations the opportunity to find out more about his legacy and other police dogs that serve this country so greatly."

Finn took his first holiday on a beach in Norfolk shortly after his retirement from service