National Police Dog memorial unveiled in Chelmsford

12 April 2019, 16:21 | Updated: 12 April 2019, 16:35

The Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has been in Essex today, to unveil a national police dog memorial.

Paul Nicholls, a former police dog handler for Essex Police, held the private event today in Chelmsford.

The sculpture's been created by Essex artist John Doubleday and shows an officer and two police dogs.

Mr Nicholls told Heart "The dogs don't worry about it, but it's important the handlers and the general public that we care about what they do for us, we care about how they keep us safe.

"The police dogs are the unsung heroes of the police service basically. What they do... without favour or question, they do because they trust their handlers... It's not just the sort of bitey snarly stuff, it's all the stuff behind the scenes that you never get to see that I want to make sure is recognised."

The sculpture was blessed by the Bishop of Chelmsford, The Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell.