New officers barking for duty in Alicante

FOUR new police officers are strutting their stuff in Vera, sniffing out dope peddlers, protecting children and securing large events.

Apache, Azor, Bimba and Zadhir are specially trained police dogs and the first members of the Almeria town’s new canine unit. 

The foursome excel in smelling danger and drugs where ordinary officers sense nothing. They will conduct car checks, park patrols and even be used to calm domestic violence situations and catch fleeing fugitives.

Future festivals, carnivals and large public events will have the quartet on hand to provide additional security. The unit will patrol Vera mainly on foot and are all trained not to attack unless explicitly ordered to do so. 

Drug dealers and crooks beware. Another four dogs are waiting in the wings to join the fledgling unit, having almost completed training.