Plymouth officer and crime-fighting dog honoured after groundbreaking police work

A Plymouth police officer and his pioneering dog have been shortlisted for a major national award at Crufts.

PC Martin King, 59, and his 10-year-old springer spaniel Tweed have been named as finalists in the The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award.

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The annual prize recognises the special bond between people and their dogs and celebrates the important role they play in society. 

Tweed is one of five finalists in the Extraordinary Life of a Working Dog category. 

A winner will be decided by a public vote and announced on the final day of the show at the NEC in Birmingham.

PC King, a digital dog handler with Devon and Cornwall Police, has served for 38 years. 

In 2017, Tweed became the first dog in Europe to be trained to detect digital devices such as mobile phones, SIM cards and memory sticks.

Since completing her training, Tweed and PC King have carried out searches across the country, with their work supporting investigations into terrorism, murder and child exploitation, helping to secure convictions and protect vulnerable people.

Martin said: “We were the first force within the UK to train dogs to detect digital devices.

“Tweed was selected to start the training back in 2016 along with a black labrador called Rob.

“Off the success of everything Tweed achieved travelling around the country, a lot of dogs are now trained around the country, so everyone benefitted from it.”

Tweed has also assisted the National Crime Agency and travelled overseas to support a warrant in Amsterdam.

Despite her success in the field, Martin said Tweed had a difficult start in life before joining him. 

He worked closely with her during training to build her confidence and develop her skills.

He said: “She is a little darling. It’s strange, really, because I had a real affinity with this little dog who is a delicate little soul.

“I had a real affinity with her, she knew what I was thinking and I knew what she was thinking, and it just morphed from there and has gone from strength to strength.”

Since May 2017, Martin’s two digital detection dogs have carried out more than 1,200 warrants.

He said: “The work is relentless, but Tweed, with the stuff that she’s found over the years, she’s found stuff buried in gardens, in zip-lock bags that she’s dug up.

“For a guy that was convicted in Kent of terrorism she found his phone down a drain on a housing estate, so she will always be a winner in my mind.

“It was just really, really nice for someone to nominate us for the award.”

The pair are due to retire later this year, and, despite recently recovering from surgery for prostate cancer, Martin said he is determined to travel to Birmingham with Tweed for the ceremony.