Community
11 May, 2024
Tribute to police dogs
A STATUE modelled on one of the Far North’s bravest police dogs – Police Dog 361 Axel – will be built at Aeroglen’s dog park in recognition of the role police service canines play in the community.
Cairns regional councillors voted unanimously in favour of a plaque and statue last Wednesday.
Police dog handler David Raymond, on behalf of the Lions Club of Cairns Trinity Bay, applied for the installation of a statue and plaque of PD Axel to commemorate all working dogs of the Queensland Police Service. The club will fund the project.
Axel served the community, along with his handler, from April, 2015 to November, 2022, and was responsible for the location of many offenders, including the most wanted man in Australia – Graham Potter at Ravenshoe in 2022 – who evaded police for 12 years.
Cr Brett Moller (division 1) said the contributions made by the Cairns Dog Squad – and PD Axel who died last year – keeping the community safe were worthy of acknowledgement.
“These dogs are used often to track missing persons, sometimes with mental health issues and find them and safely return them,” he said.
“The Cairns Police Dog Squad was established in 1982 where today they have six handlers and eight dogs.
“Five of those dogs are for general purpose and three are used for drug detection.
“We know that the dogs are there to track offenders – often in volatile situations where offenders are armed – and those dogs work to protect, not only police officers, but members of the community as well.
“Axel was a long-serving police dog and I feel it is great recognition.”
Cr Moller said the memorial “brings a lot of value to the community”. He said he was “ecstatic” it would be built at the Aeroglen dog park near the touch footy grounds which was popular with dog lovers and also with people walking the paths and the Yellow Arrow.
