RETIRED and active police dogs from across the UK were present at a celebratory unveiling ceremony for a new national memorial honouring brave canines who have died in service.<\/p>\n
The sculpture, which stands in Oaklands Park, Chelmsford, has taken 13 years of planning, but now marks a place where the brave sacrifice of police dogs can be properly honoured.<\/p>\n
The idea for the memorial belonged to retired Essex PC Paul Nicholls, who raised \u00a360,000 for the statue following the death of his first dog Sabre in 2006.<\/p>\n
He decided to campaign for the sculpture to provide a \u201cmore fitting tribute\u201d than the existing small plaque in Staffordshire dedicated to police animals.<\/p>\n
At the opening of the memorial, Paul recalled the death of his four-legged friend and said: \u201cI just sat there and sobbed my heart out as I couldn’t cope without my best pal and he was my inspiration to get where I have now after 13 years.”<\/p>\n
Medals were also presented at the unveiling, recognising the courageous fallen heroes, including Bryn who was shot dead in 1998 in Northamptonshire when he protected his handler Ian Churms.<\/p>\n
Officers say that the bond shared between police dogs and their handler is like no other, which was later highlighted by PC Luke Pritchard.<\/p>\n
Luke currently is handler to police dog Tex and said: “I’d give my life for him and he would give his life to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day Tex goes it would break my heart, so for them to be immortalised to show what a good job they do is fantastic.”<\/p>\n
Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, who unveiled the memorial, was also keen to recognise the \u201cmassive\u201d contribution that police dogs make to the service.<\/p>\n
The seven-foot statue will now serve as a timeless reminder of the sacrifice and service police dogs provide to forces nationwide.<\/p>\n