Police dog handlers face breaking law in new cost-saving orders by bosses

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Police dog handlers could face breaking the law under new orders from their own bosses.The force’s dog squad have been told to use their own cars to get to and from crime scenes instead of specialist dog vans.The vans are designed for transporting animals safely and include sound-proofing to make sure drivers aren’t deafened by barking.But senior managers at the cash-strapped force have told dog handlers to ditch the vans and use their own private ­vehicles instead, prompting safety fears from representatives.The Scottish Police ­Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said the new rules could mean officers are breaking the law when it comes to vehicle weights and their insurance could be invalidated if an accident happened.They also say private cars aren’t kitted out to protect drivers from noisy dogs or to safely transport animals.Brian Jones, vice chairman of the SPF, said: “This is another example of Police Scotland identifying cost savings at the expense of officers’, and in this case their police dogs’, safety and welfare.

This is despite management stating the welfare of animals and staff is at the forefront of their decision making.”An advert for a police dog handler role this month stated: “Handlers are required to convey police dog(s) to the workplace in a suitable private vehicle, for which mileage will be paid at a nationally agreed vehicle essential user allowance.

Transit cages will be provided.”Jones said the force ignored the SPF’s concerns on the new policy at a previous consultation and bosses appeared to have introduced the measures regardless.He said there has been no assessment of whether handlers’ vehicles are the correct size to accommodate a transit cage combined with all the