Care and exercise of a police dog

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/008450/V

Version Date: 24/07/2025

I would like to know the protocols surrounding police officers from the K9 unit exercising/walking police dogs in their guard, on public residential streets..ie need to be on a leash?

The Alliance Operations Department has provided the following information.

The care and exercise of a police dog is the responsibility of the police dog handler. The policy relating to police dogs does not go into specific detail about where to walk a police dog and when it should and should not be on a lead. If the dog handler is on duty in uniform, then the dog should be under proper control of the handler and be on a lead.

If off duty, then it is expected the handler would take into account roads, any members of the public walking around, and abide by any local by-laws as well as ensuring the dog is under proper control, which would include having the dog on a lead.