ROYAL AIR FORCE POLICE DOG TRAINING [Main Title]

"Rocky" is a German shepherd dog that due to his behaviour is donated by his owner to the RAF as a police dog.

A Police Constable arrives at a house to speak to a dog owner after numerous complaints and a neighbour being bitten. The owner "Mrs Baker" is persuaded to donate her dog Rocky to the RAF. RAF Police officer and NCO arrive and take Rocky away. He arrives at the RAF Police Depot Netheravon Dog Training Centre, Wiltshire. The donation/deed of gift card being completed for Rocky shows the date 29/5/1952 and acknowledgement letter signed by F/Lt MMS Smith. He is checked by a vet and given the number 3946 which is tattooed in his ear then placed in quarantine for 3 weeks, prior to undergoing training. RAF recruits are seen arriving to become dog handlers. They sign in at the Main Guardroom. Names of the recruits on the Drafting Order are AC2 Taylor, Tidy, Smart, Jackson, Bassett, Rowbotham and Roberts. Date on the guardroom register is Friday 30 May 1952. Classroom shots of first day of training.The recruits are seen to select a dog, spend time bonding and then commencing basic obedience drills - heel, sit, down, stay and short distance control. First aid and grooming lessons. Then dogs and handlers are seen carrying out baiting and 'criminal' workouts, followed by wind scenting. Dogs and handlers are reviewed and have a final assessment/passout by Lt. Col. Jimmy Baldwin DSO (?). Handlers and dogs are seen tackling various obstacles and carrying out various tricks with the dogs. Handlers sewing on stripes on completing training, issue of tropical kit for those going overseas. Dog boarding Hastings aircraft and being placed in transit kennel. Hastings WJ334 (99 Squadron?) seen taxiing and taking off. Arrival of Rocky and handler at new station and settling in at dog section kennels. Patrolling aircraft dispersal in evening with DH Vampires (FB5) bearing squadron codes P-ES, L-ES, N-ES & S-ES (WA412) (229 OCU Chivenor). Visit by RAF Police Officer from the Dog School to check on handlers and dogs which includes Rocky demonstrating his ground scenting/tracking skills for the officer. Scene of Rocky and handler on patrol at night as intruder breaks into airfield and heads to the radio store (Hastings aircraft in background) Rocky tracks intruder to hangar and after entering with handler corners intruder who is arrested. Final shot of Rocky looking over tailboom of Vampire jet.

35mm