RAF Police Explosive Detection Dog Receives Top Award for Six ‘Life-Saving’ Finds
By Community Correspondent
A sniffer dog who made six separate operational finds of explosives and ammunition has been named Military Working Dog of the Year.
Four-year-old Springer Spaniel Military Working Dog (MWD) Paul and his handler, Sergeant Craig Roberts, worked for the RAF Police, based in London, when they were honoured with the award.
MWD Paul, who licensed in August 2022, worked as an arms and explosives search dog with the Royal Air Force Police, based at RAF Northolt.
This week, MWD Paul received the Military Police Dog of the Year Award as part of the Thin Blue Paw Awards, organised annually by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation; a charity that protects and supports serving and retired police dogs across the UK.
It’s the first Military Police Dog of the Year Award that the charity has issued, launching the new category in a bid to recognise the work of the military police dogs.
Unfortunately, the pair were unable to attend the ceremony – held at the Kennel Club, in London, in September - to receive their award after MWD Paul suffered a serious injury to his cruciate ligament.
So the charity postponed the awarding of the inaugural Military Police Dog of the Year Award until he had recovered from surgery, travelling to his base in west London to officially give them the award, with Group Captain Lee Wales, Station Commander RAF Northolt, presenting the award to the pair.
Sgt Roberts – who is no longer an operational handler but now works in military dog training – has been in the RAF for 13 years, 12 of which have been spent working with the dogs.
Sgt Roberts, 32, from Crewe in Cheshire, said: “It’s great to be recognised because we put a lot of work into the job that we do.
“Civilian police forces and dog units often get acknowledged for their work because they’re visible to the public but because we can’t shout about what we do people don’t necessarily realise the work our dogs are doing.
“I’m glad this award shines a light on the work we’re doing; not just for MWD Paul and myself, but for the whole team.”
Chairman Kieran Stanbridge said: “This is the first year we’ve offered an award in this category but we really felt like the dogs of the military police had been overlooked and deserved some recognition.
“MWD Paul is a worthy winner, even though he’s still early on in his career. His instinct, training and expertise helped to avert what could have been six potentially life-threatening incidents.”
Paul – who was bred in Holland before being trained at Defence Animal Training Regiment, Melton Mowbray – was initially stationed with Sgt Roberts at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, where they helped to carry out searches of aircraft, cargo and baggage, as well as carrying out searches before VIP visits.
They then moved to the RAF Police MWD Specialist Flight on the Operational Capability Unit, at RAF Northolt, in London, where they were sent on direct taskings at locations across the UK as well as overseas.
During their career, the pair had six operational finds of explosives or ammunition.
Sgt Roberts said: “I was lucky to get Paul straight out of training so I did a lot of extra work with him so I could put my stamp on how he worked. He wasn’t a natural search dog but he trained really well.
“Unlike handlers who work with drugs dogs, who want to make finds, as handlers of explosives dogs you never want to find anything. But Paul has had six finds during his career.
“He was very busy as a young dog, and I recognise that being in the right place at the right time was a factor, but I’m grateful that our hard work, training, and dedication helped him make the most of those opportunities.
“Some dogs can go their whole career without ever having a find!”
If Paul recovers and is able to return to work then he will be partnered with another handler, but if he retires due to his injury then Sgt Roberts will adopt him.
Group Captain Lee Wales said: “Congratulations to MWD Paul and his handler Sgt Craig Roberts. It is a proud moment to see the commitment and dedication of our RAF Police dogs acknowledged in this way. The recognition from the Thin Blue Paw means a great deal to us.”
In 2023, MWD Paul and Sgt Roberts won the Lady Kemball Trophy for being the RAF Police best operational AES team.
Nominating the young dog, Flight Sergeant Mark Ginger said: “Paul has consistently demonstrated outstanding capability, resilience and devotion to duty, making an exceptional contribution to national security both at home and overseas.”
Mark added: “MWD Paul has been pivotal in over 75 high-profile operations including supporting HM King Charles’s Coronation, the Royal International Air Tattoo and the Global Air & Space Commanders Conference.
“He also supported Explosive Ordinance Disposal teams in high threat environments, as well as royal and ministerial visits.
“MWD Paul’s expertise led to six confirmed finds of explosive weapons and ammunition; each find representing a life potentially saved and stripping weapons from those who could have used them to inflict harm or incite fear.
“Paul’s unwavering work ethic, operational success, and outstanding character embody the very best of military policing. He is a trusted partner, a protector of life, and a worthy winner of the Military Police Dog of the Year Award.
