Being a police dog handler is a dream job, says Fed rep

5 July 2024

As a dog handler for the past 24 years, West Midlands Police Federation member PC Sue Cheek has worked at some of the highest profile events in the country.

Sue and her explosive search dog, Trev, have helped to keep the public safe at events such as the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

And she says it’s a dream role to work with Trev, and her general purpose police dog, Chase.

“I’ve been very lucky with the work I’ve done over the years,” she said. “I did the 2012 Olympics. I was down in Weymouth working on the boating side of things. I can remember whole country was uplifted and it was special to be part of it.

“The same with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. It’s hard work, long hours but a really positive influence on the city and it’s lovely to be part of.

“I was part of the Queen’s funeral. We searched the whole week leading up to the Queen’s funeral with all the different events that were taking place. We searched Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Parliament, Westminster Abbey.

“We were there on the day of the funeral itself making sure it was safe and sound beforehand. And for me, I got to do my bit to say goodbye to my boss. To serve as long as I did under the Queen, it was a nice way to say my thanks.”

Police dog handler

Sue joined West Midlands Police as a cadet when she was 16 – and she knew even then that she wanted to be a dog handler.

She has been a frontline officer for 29 years and a dog handler for the past 24 of those.

“It’s what I always wanted to do, be a police dog handler,” she said. “It’s always what I’d got myself set on. I feel lucky that I’ve managed to achieve it and managed to stay in the role as long as I have.

“I’m also an instructor for our Force, and was the first female instructor in the West Midlands, which I look on as an achievement.”

PC Sue Cheek and PD Trev

PC Sue Cheek and explosive search dog Trev

Chase and Trev live with Sue and her family and accompany her to work each day.

“I spend more time with my dogs than I spend with my family because I’m with them all the time,” she said.

“It’s hard work but the sense of achievement you get when you catch someone or you find something without the dogs you would have missed, it’s a real buzz.

“Without the dog doing what it does and working as a team, we would lose people and property and we wouldn’t find key evidence.”

Sue has been combining her frontline policing role with being a Federation representative for the past three years.

She took on the role in order to give back to the Federation after she and her husband received support from branch secretary Tim Rogers for issues they were facing.

Federation rep

Sue said: “My husband, who was a serving officer at the time, and I were involved in two separate fatal accidents at work. It was a really difficult period for us both and it lasted a long time.

“It had a negative effect on my husband, to the point where he ended up leaving the job through medical retirement due to PTSD because of the accident and the trauma of how it was dealt with.

“We were really well supported by our Fed rep, Tim Rogers. I wanted an opportunity to give a bit back. I wanted to say thank you for the support.

It’s about supporting others who might be going through the same thing from someone who has been there.”

Sue said the role of a Fed rep can be demanding but ultimately worthwhile.

“It takes a lot of time, commitment and effort just knowing that people might pick up the phone day or night to speak to you,” she said.

“During the evening a message might come in from someone who wants a little bit if guidance or a little bit of support, I’m in my family environment having done my shift already and it could be a lot for my husband but he understands.

“He knows how important it was when he needed to speak to our Fed rep and how Tim was always at the end of a phone for us. To offer that to people is quite important.”

Sue has also recently got onto the National Council to represent the West Midlands.

She said: “I feel like I’m making a difference with West Midlands, and the opportunity to go on the National Council came about and I felt I could make a difference on a bigger scale.

“I want to show that you can achieve good things.

“You can be a frontline officer with 29 years’ service, have a family, do the extra Fed stuff, and be able to have your voice on the National Council, these things are all achievable.”