A paw-ssion for the frontline

Editorial: Sarah Larsen

Photography: Danielle Ford

Called to an aggravated burglary earlier this year, Leading Senior Constable Michelle Dench and her four-legged offsider Devil knew exactly what was required of them.

The female victim, an off-duty police member, awoke to a male offender standing over her bed. The victim bravely chased him out of her home where he escaped on foot.

After speaking to the victim and gathering the information required to start their search, Ldg Sen Const Dench and Devil headed off to track the offender.

Putting his tracking skills to work, Devil quickly located the offender hiding under a property about a kilometre away from the victim’s house, making it one of the greatest catches of the team’s career.

It’s jobs and outcomes like this that keep Ldg Sen Const Dench passionate about the work she does.

“The nature of the offence made the catch even more satisfying. The relief from the victim is what this job is all about,” Ldg Sen Const Dench said.

Ldg Sen Const Dench has been a general purpose (GP) dog handler – and arguably one of the best dog trainers – in the Dog Squad for fifteen years.

While for many, career progression means chasing promotions to higher ranks, Ldg Sen Const Dench is right where she belongs, with Devil by her side.

Ldg Sen Const Michelle Dench is happiest when she is working side-by-side with her four-legged offsider Devil.

Danielle Ford

Having been promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2015, Ldg Sen Const Dench quickly realised it wasn’t where she wanted to be.

“It took me away from what I love doing, which is being out on the street, working a dog,” Ldg Sen Const Dench said.

“I was sending the crew to different jobs and always thinking, ‘I want to be out there’.”

After months of soul searching and discussing with her managers, Ldg Sen Const Dench stepped down from the role to return to GP handler duties.

“I took the reversion and I knew it was the right decision. The love for the job had returned and I never looked back.”

The self-confessed ‘crazy dog lady’ will tell anyone who listens just how great her job is.

“I still pinch myself every day and can’t believe the job that I’ve got. I’m very lucky,” Ldg Sen Const Dench said.

The obvious drawcard to the Dog Squad is Devil, a five-year-old Belgian Malinois, who was matched with Ldg Sen Const Dench at eight weeks old and has been part of her family ever since.

The pair lives, works and trains together, forming a lifelong bond beyond the hours of duty.

Despite his name, given to him in honour of a military dog killed in action in Afghanistan, Devil is known in the squad for his affectionate nature.

“Devil’s ability to track offenders is outstanding. And his siege work goes beyond natural instincts,” Ldg Sen Const Dench said.

“But he can also get anyone in uniform to give him a belly rub.”

As well as her four-legged colleague, Ldg Sen Const is also drawn to the operational and physical aspects of her role.

“There are shifts where we’re jumping 20 or more fences and running kilometres at a time – rain, hail or shine,” she said.

“And all this while holding onto a 40-kilogram dog full of power and enthusiasm.”

When they aren’t training or called to a pursuit or siege, the pair still assists local stations and members in any way required. From local patrolling to stopping and inspecting cars, they are both happiest when on the ground.

It’s no surprise, then, that GP handlers like to keep fit, play sport and maintain healthy lifestyles to keep up with their duties.

The fitness test to join the specialised unit requires GP applicants to perform specific tasks, such as endurance running, scaling walls and obstacles and carrying a dog for a set amount of time. Unlike arbitrary recruitment tests that typically include chin-ups and push-ups, GP handler requirements are much more fit-for-purpose.

Ldg Sen Const Dench believes the selection criteria is much better aligned to the GP role, an improvement from when she applied in 2007.

“It was rigorous, but it wasn’t aligned with what we actually do day-to-day,” Ldg Sen Const Dench said.

“It knocked a lot of females out, which was a shame, because it didn’t mean they couldn’t do the role.”

“Without a shadow of doubt, females can work a dog as well as a man can.”

While the Dog Squad was always her ambition, Ldg Sen Const Dench spent her first 10 years in other areas at Victoria Police, gaining broader experience at the Vehicle Crime Squad and Yarra Crime Investigation Unit.

I had a feeling that once I joined the Dog Squad I probably wasn’t going to do anything else for the rest of my career.

“And I was right. I’ll be here until I retire.”

The sentiment is shared across the squad, whose passionate members stay for years.

“When you get to the Dog Squad, no one leaves because we all love what we do. We all love our jobs, we love the work, we love our dogs.”