A cunning police dog and his handler, who was electrocuted in the process of pursuing two suspects, have been awarded for their efforts at the scene of a hit and run on one of Scotland's busiest motorways.
PC Raymond Martin was driving along the M8 towards Edinburgh on May 27 last year, when he came across a vehicle on its roof, straddling the hard shoulder and the inside lane.
PC Martin quickly established that two men had made off from the scene towards woodland when speaking to witnesses at the scene and deployed Police Dog Storm, who was able to pick up their scent and track them through several fields, a river and an electric fence.
Remarkably, the officer was electrocuted in the process but thankfully wasn’t badly injured and continued with the search.
Storm tracked the two suspects to 3.5km away where he found them hidden underneath a riverbank and partly submerged by water, and then assisted in detaining them until colleagues from Police Scotland arrived.
Both men in question were arrested and charged with a variety of offences.
Storm and PC Martin have now been awarded BTP’s prestigious ‘Bryan Trophy’ in recognition of their invaluable contribution.
But it’s now time for PD Storm to put his paws up and retire following seven years of service in Scotland!
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Chief Inspector Pete Kooper said: “Huge congratulations are in order for PC Martin and PD Storm who demonstrated exemplary perseverance and determination in tracking two suspects who had tried their best to flee the scene of a crime.
"It’s a fitting end to an illustrious career in BTP for PD Storm who has spent seven years protecting the railway network in Scotland.
"We’d all like to wish him a very happy and much deserved retirement.”
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