Meet the police dog who never missed a day's work - despite being shot three times

PD Logan, who has now retired after serving with Humberside Police, was given a lifetime achievement commendation in the recent Thin Blue Paw Awards.

His career saw him help assist in hundreds of arrests but the biggest challenge was when he and his trusty partner PC Ian Sweeney were tracking down an attempted murderer in Grimsby.

PC Sweeney said: “We knew where he was hiding and we knew he had a bladed weapon. Logan and I cornered him and then he turned on us with a handgun and threatened to kill us. I deployed Logan which was probably one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make as the man shot at me.

“I thought I may be sending him to his death to protect me. I got hit in the face three times and Logan was also shot in the mouth and head three times – but, despite his injuries, he still detained him successfully.

“Logan bounced back unbelievably from the incident; in fact he only had to have time off work because I was signed off for six weeks due to my injuries.”

Now aged eight-and-a-half, PD Logan is enjoying retirement after moving to Humberside Police from South Yorkshire Police’s breeding programme. He had no training at all when he was partnered with PC Sweeney, but that didn’t stop him.

PC Sweeney said: “It usually takes around 13 weeks to train a general purpose police dog but Logan took only eight weeks before he was trained and licensed, and we hit the streets in May 2015!

“He was a natural with his scent detection and tracking; I’ve never known a dog like him. He had a faultless career; he was very diverse, and he always passed all of his assessments and never put a paw wrong. He was the dream dog.

“His ability to switch on and switch off was amazing. When we went to work he knew what he needed to do and he did it. But when we were at home, he was like any other pet dog.”

Among his highlights were tracking down a high-risk missing person in December 2020, which means medics could save the man’s life, peventing major public disorder at a football match in Grimsby where 200 fans clashed in the streets, finding six illegal immigrants all by himself and hunting down a gang responsibly for stealing high-powered cars.

PC Sweeney added: “Logan is my soulmate and I’m so proud of him for everything he’s achieved. This award is particularly special as it encompasses everything he’s done and I don’t think you ever really believe you’ll achieve something like that. It makes all the hard work so worthwhile. I still feel incredibly shocked, overwhelmed and overjoyed by it.”

Charity trustee Kieran Stanbridge said: “RPD Logan spent more than seven years fighting crime, sniffing out the bad guys, helping to find vulnerable people, and keeping his community safe.

“His list of achievements is staggering but one of the most heartwarming elements of his nomination is the special bond he shared with his handler, PC Sweeney, and the way he protected him at dangerous times. He’s a worthy winner of this award and we’re proud have the chance to highlight his accomplishments.”