Information about the role of a sergeant dog handler, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
A sergeant dog handler is a specialist operations position within the operational support sector of policing. It's a team leader role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
Sergeant dog handlers supervise and manage the performance of a dog unit team. They co-ordinate the dog unit’s provision of proactive and reactive support to operational officers and specialist departments through the appropriate deployment of police dogs to:
- locate and retrieve evidence or offenders
- control potential and actual disturbances
- enhance officer and public safety
In addition to their supervisory role, a sergeant dog handler also acts as a dog handler.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Coordinating the operational deployment of police dogs and supplying professional expertise and tactical advice to deliver an effective response which supports law enforcement and enables public safety.
- Managing any threats of risk or harm appropriately to minimise the impact and risk of harm to police officers, staff and members of the public.
- Supervising the activity of a police dog team ensuring high levels of motivation, devising effective development strategies and embedding professional standards to improve team/individual performance and achieve unit/force objectives.
- Developing effective working relationships with front line colleagues and partner agencies to ensure awareness of resources provided by the dog unit, and providing specialist advice and guidance in the planning and delivery of local and regional events and initiatives to support the unit or force objectives.
- Promoting the role and functions of the dog unit and engaging with members of the public to build trust and confidence in policing.
- Supervising a team of dog handlers managing their welfare, wellbeing and development, and ensuring high levels of motivation to enable an effective front line policing service.
- Overseeing the proper welfare, care, training and handling of operational police dogs, to ensure their health, wellbeing and operational effectiveness in line with the Police dogs authorised professional practice (APP) and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Police Dog Standard.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We take ownership – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We collaborate – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We support and inspire – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We analyse critically – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 2: supervisor or middle manager
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
Education, qualifications and experience
To achieve effective performance in the role, the following standards, training and qualifications should be met.
Previous education, qualifications and experience
- Typically, sergeants will have achieved a level 4 certificate in Police First Line Management.
- Sergeants will have met, or be working towards, all necessary local and national promotion requirements.
- Completed relevant dog handling course
- Meet force specific fitness requirement.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence. CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR) conversations.
Learning and accreditation
- Complete all core training and learning required by the force.
- Relevant NPCC Police Dog Licence
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- Maintain knowledge and understanding of College of Policing guidance, best practice and any local policy applicable to the operational police context and leading and managing dog handler teams.
- Maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legislation policy and practice in relation to the dog handler function and area of policing operational responsibility.
- Maintain knowledge and understanding of new approaches identified by evidence based policing research relating to the dog handler function, including problem-solving and team working, and synthesise these into working practice(s).
- Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities that impact upon the role of dog handling teams and current best practice to tackle these to enable a proactive and preventative approach.
Related roles
You can find other team leader or technical lead roles in the: